"Interaction Rituals and Jumbled Emotions Among "Relative Strangers

Simulated Patient Work on a Trainee Complementary Therapy Practitioner Program

Bibliographic Data

ID3395008
AuthorsAlison Fixsen (0000-0002-9449-2784, University of Westminster), Damien Ridge (0000-0001-9245-5958, University of Westminster), Susan Kirkpatrick (0000-0003-2579-9448, University of Oxford), Doug Foot (University of London)
Year2015
Volume5
Issue3
Publication date2015-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSAGE Open (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/2158244015595090
OpenAlexW2252298555
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited64

Learning games such as role-play (which we refer to as "simulated interaction rituals") are commonly used as social tools to develop trainee health practitioners. However, the effect of such rituals on individual and group participant emotions has not been carefully studied. Using a heuristic approach, we explore the experiences of complementary therapy practitioner trainees (and their trainers) participating in a personal development course. Ten trainees and two tutors were interviewed, observational notes taken, and a secondary qualitative analysis undertaken. Participants and tutors described a medley of disparate emotional and moral responses to group rituals, conceptualized in this article as "jumbled emotions." Such emotions required disentangling, and both trainees and staff perceived participating in unfamiliar rituals "with relative strangers" as challenging. Front of stage effects are frequently processed "backstage," as rituals threaten social embarrassment and confusion. Concerns around emotional triggers, authenticity, and outcomes of rituals arise at the time, yet trainees can find ways to work through these issues in time

Confusion · Embarrassment · Observational study · Qualitative research · Sociology · Communication in Education and Healthcare · Counseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics · Psychology · Social Psychology · Social Work Education and Practice

Tools

Open DOISci-HubOpen Access