Emotional Ambience in Interaction Rituals: A Conceptional Completion to Emotional Energy

Abstract

This article aims to elaborate on Collins’ theory of Interaction Ritual Chains by proposing the concept of emotional ambience as a complement to emotional energy. Interaction ritual chains describe how collective actions and shared cognitive and affective orientations within a group contribute to feelings of unity and reverence towards the group’s symbols. Successful interaction rituals generate emotional energy (EE), leading to increased self assurance, enthusiasm, and initiative. Conversely, unsuccessful rituals diminish EE. The concept of EE pertains to the long-term impact of interaction rituals on individuals beyond immediate contexts. To capture emotions created and diffused in social settings, the term emotional ambience is suggested. Emotional ambience focuses on the collective emotional process in an interaction situation, enhancing our understanding of how common sentiments are cultivated among actors during interaction rituals. To facilitate the analysis of emotional ambience, a three-dimensional model is proposed, considering the valence, arousal, and strength of collective emotions. Methodologically, the study focuses on the emotional coordination of various communication elements, such as gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, and rhythm of speech. Understanding the separation of emotional energy and emotional ambience is crucial, as even the mutual sharing of unpleasant emotions can generate emotional energy and strengthen social bonds. The reciprocal relationship between emotional energy and emotional ambience highlights how individuals’ emotional energy influences the emotional ambience of interactional situations.