The College of Education
Announces the Final Examination of
Jeffery Lane Sisk
for the degree of
Doctor of Education
November 5, 2015 at 12:00 pm
123 Ball Hall, University of Memphis
Memphis, TN
Biographical Sketch
Bachelor of Science, Computer Information Systems, Lambuth University
Master of Science, Leadership, University of Memphis
Advisory Committee
Mitsunori Misawa, PhD, Assistant Professor, Leadership, Committee chair
Larry McNeal, PhD, Professor, Leadership
Charisse Gulosino, EdD, Assistant Professor, Leadership
William Akey, EdD, Associate Dean, University College
Major Field of Study
Higher and Adult Education
Period of Preparation: 2005 – 2015
Comprehensive Examination Passed: December 2012
The Pink Toolbox: A Narrative Examination of The Theory of Emotional Labor and Its Potential Nexus With Female Adult Learners Preparing for Nontraditional Occupations
Abstract
Sisk, Jeffery Lane. Ed.D. The University of Memphis. December/2015. The Pink Toolbox: A Narrative Examination of The Theory of Emotional Labor and Its Potential Nexus With Female Adult Learners Preparing for Nontraditional Occupations. Major Professor: Dr. Mitsunori Misawa, Ph.D.
Both societal and institutional barriers exist that keep females from fully participating in all aspects of the job market, including preparatory training. This is particularly true for jobs that are considered nontraditional for women, including: welding, machine tool, automotive mechanics, and aircraft maintenance. These types of jobs typically have higher wages and better benefits than other jobs. This narrative study focused on the experiences of nine female adult learners enrolled in postsecondary training programs preparing them for careers in nontraditional occupations. Utilizing a narrative inquiry methodology, the purpose of this study was to understand how female adult learners enrolled in training programs preparing them for careers in nontraditional careers, employed emotional labor strategies to help them to cope and succeed using Hochschild’s Theory of Emotional Labor and how their experiences influenced their positional and relational identities. The two research questions that guided the study were:
- In what ways do female adult learners, who are enrolled in training programs preparing them for nontraditional occupations, employ anticipatory or reactionary strategies as it relates to Hochschild’s Theory of Emotional Labor?
- What are the implications of Hochschild’s Theory of Emotional Labor and training programs for nontraditional occupations on the positional and relational identities of female adult learners?
Data were collected using in-depth interviews and nonparticipant observations. A thematic analysis was used to examine how the learners were employing Emotional Labor strategies and how their positional and relational identities were impacted by these strategies. Three themes emerged from the data analysis: 1) Situated in a Gendered Field; 2) Power and Authority of Knowledge; and 3) Social Opprobrium. A number of explanations were considered for why women typically do not pursue training in nontraditional (male dominated) occupations including occupational segregation and the gendered nature of social life. Despite those obstacles, there are a limited number of women who are pursuing training in careers where they constitute less than 25% of the occupational workforce. The implications of this study include recommendations for training for instructors and staff who work with these students; a proactive strategy to train all students on sexual harassment prevention; implementation of support groups for these students; and financial aid programs designed to support female adult learners who want to pursue nontraditional occupations.