The Antecedents and Emergent Effects of Unit-level Display Rules: A Multilevel Investigation of Display Rules in Nursing

Although past work (e.g., Cropanzano, Weiss, & Elias, 2004) has theorized that emotional display rules are grounded, in part, in higher-level norms, most empirical research has focused on display rules as individual-level constructs. The present study examined the antecedents and consequences of emotional display rules at the work unit level of analysis. Using an archival dataset from a sample of registered nurses working in various units of a nine-hospital system, the present research examined the unit-level antecedents (e.g., patient acuity, patient load, patient affect) and consequences (i.e., nursing quality and patient satisfaction) of unit-level display rule level (i.e., mean) and strength (i.e., dispersion). Further, the present study utilized hospital data on unit-level patient satisfaction and unit-level patient health outcomes to determine if emotional display rules (and individual-level emotional labor constructs) relate to these criteria. Findings supported the view that the relationships between display rules and other variables are emergent across levels. Display rules conceptualized at multiple levels are associated with different correlates and consequences. Results also provided the first known support for a three-factor model of display rules: rules to show empathy, show enthusiasm, and hide negative emotions. Although rules to show enthusiasm and hide negative emotions could be conceptualized at the person and unit levels, rules to show empathy were reported at a high level throughout the sample and did not form a unit-level concept. Display rule strength was not found to be a factor in the present study, as nurses throughout units were relatively consistent in their perceptions of display rules. Patient affect was shown to play an integral role in determining nurse display rules, as nurses felt compelled to display more positive emotion in response to patient positive affect and less negative and positive emotion in response to patient negative affect. In turn, display rules impacted nurse emotion regulation and well-being. Display rules were associated with greater nurse emotion regulation, which in turn predicted lesser well-being and greater well-being for nurses. Display rules also showed relationships with patient satisfaction. Patients were more satisfied on units with greater levels of rules to show enthusiasm and hide negative emotions. They were also more satisfied on units where nurses were experiencing less burnout. Nursing quality was predicted by patient affect and acuity, two conditions that decreased the likelihood that nursing quality standards would be upheld. Preliminary findings indicate that the type of nursing could be an important factor weighing on the emotional labor process in nursing; ambulatory nurses emerged as a somewhat unique group in the present sample due to the distinct nature of their work with greater numbers of patients who are less severely ill.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology-Industrial/Organizational

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Akron

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Moran, Christina Mary

Contributors dc:contributor

• Diefendorff, James M.

• Behavioral Sciences
• Health Care
• Health Care Management
• Occupational Psychology
• Organizational Behavior
• Psychology

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1357523999

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:akron1357523999