Research investigating the role of emotion in cross-cultural experiences has received little attention by organizational researchers, despite its potential link to expatriate success and adjustment in the international assignment. The present study expands on work by Gullekson and Vancouver (in press), which examined perceptions of emotional display for international sojourners. Specifically, their research revealed the “guest effect” in which international participants reported that one should display less emotion in the host culture, despite the cultural norms for greater display of emotion the host culture than in sojourners' home cultures. The present study aimed to determine whether there are differential norms for the display of emotion between expatriates and Americans working in the U.S. Status as a key mechanism for the guest effect was also examined.
Specifically, both American and international sojourners watched a video vignette of a workplace interaction in which the target character was either an American or an expatriate, and displayed either little or intense anger and happiness. To replicate the guest effect, participants then rated the appropriateness or the display with the expectation that participants would rate it more appropriate for the expatriate to display less emotion than the American worker. Participants also rated the status of the target character in the organization to determine if lower status was conferred to the expatriate than to the American. Results did not replicate the guest effect with either the American or international sample, but a status differential was found, such that the expatriate was rated as lower status than the American worker. However, this result was found with the international sample, not the American sample, implying a potential misperception on the part of the sojourners, rather than an actual status differential exists in the U.S. The theoretical implications as well as the practical applications for organizations sending individuals abroad are discussed.