Navigating Emotion Norms in Sport Organizations

Abstract

Sport environments are often characterized by the expression of variety of intense and enduring emotions. Within sport organizations, there are emotion norms (ENs) and implicit rules governing the expression of emotions. These emotional display requirements prescribe how one ought to express emotions and yet there exists a dearth of resources for applied practitioners to support clients to effectively navigate ENs in sport organizations. In this article, we provide insights from existing scholarly knowledge and applied practice on how to navigate ENs by providing recommendations to help promote awareness and understanding of ENs among sport psychologists, coaches, managers, administrators, and multi-disciplinary teams.