Facilitators should ensure that they understand the concept of emotion labor. According to Hochschild (1983), emotion labor is the work that professionals are expected to perform to manage their feelings and ”to create a publicly observable facial and bodily display” (p. 7). Emotional labor typically involves surface acting and deep acting. Surface acting is the verbal and nonverbal displays of emotion that are not genuinely felt by the person performing them. Deep acting, on the other hand, is consciously generating emotions towards other people in order to experience the appropriate, authentic emotion needed for the interaction.

This activity has 2 versions for the first part only. One version targets a general adult audience. The other targets more traditionally-aged college students.

When introducing this activity, acknowledge that it’s normal for varying degrees of emotion to surface both while doing the activity and in the answers to the first part. Also tell that group that the activity has several parts, including a part they do alone and times when they discuss in small groups and as a whole group.

This activity can be done virtually or in person as long as participants have access to the relevant questionnaire and can work in small groups.

To give participants a fuller understanding of emotion labor and how to cope, this activity would be helpfully paired with an activity on empathy such A Flower's Point of View and an activity that focuses on self care or mindfulness.