Emotions in Command: A Naturalistic Study of Institutional Dominance

Segments are functional units which include attention-getting and information transfer. In face-to-face interactions they are performed by species-typical behaviors. But in formal organizations they are institutionalized by being performed by specialist staff or whole agencies. In offering a unique observational analysis of institutional dominance, this book presents important new data on actual command behavior (in both superiors and subordinates), associated emotional expressions, and the techniques used to secure compliance. The author argues that there is no other way to control humans than to stimulate segments of face-to-face commands. He develops a "dominance infrastructure" theory of social power and describes institutional techniques by which a person's emotional and behavioral repertoire is marshaled to produce routine obedience to commands. Throughout, the author illuminates the microprocesses of social control and links these to higher order institutional structures. Provocative and well-written, Emotions in Command will appeal to students and researchers in sociology, anthropology, and social and organizational/industrial psychology.