Effects of Intrinsic Motivation on Teacher Emotional Labor: Mediating Role of Affective Commitment

Emotions have an important place in the survival of humankind since its existence. Despite the importance of the emotions in human life and it is not taken on the agenda for a long time in working life. This study aims to examine the impacts of intrinsic motivation on teacher emotional labor with mediating effect of affective commitment. In the study, the relational screening model one of the quantitative research methods was used. The research was carried out 345 teachers who work in ten public schools in Istanbul. As the data collection tools three different scales were used. The intrinsic motivation scale was developed by Lawler and Hall (1970) and adapted to Turkish language by Yılmaz (2008). The emotional commitment scale consists of six items as a sub-dimension of the organizational commitment scale developed by Allen and Mayer (1990). Emotional labor scale, by Diefendorff et al. (2005), it was created, and it was adapted to Turkish in the teacher sample by Basım and Beğenirbaş (2012). Scale has three dimensions as surface acting, deep acting, and natural behaviors. Results of the study suggest that intrinsic motivation has a negative impact on surface acting and has a positive impact on natural behaviors (genius emotions). On the other hand, affective commitment is not mediated this impact. The findings were discussed, and recommendations were made to the practitioners and researchers.