Affective Experience and Teaching Satisfaction in Chinese Normal University Students: Emotional Labor Strategies as Mediators

Although numerous studies have explored teaching practice satisfaction among Chinese normal university students, they often focus on rational and technical factors, overlooking the emotional aspects. This study examines the influence of affective experiences on teaching practice satisfaction and the mediating role of emotional labor strategies. A total of 1,234 normal university students in China completed the Affective Experience Scale, Emotional Labor Strategy Scale, and Teaching Practice Satisfaction Scale. The findings of our current findings showed that positive affective experiences were significantly correlated with deep behavior, natural behavior, and teaching practice satisfaction. Moreover, deep behavior was positively associated with both natural behavior and satisfaction. Multiple mediation analysis revealed that positive affective experiences directly and indirectly impacted teaching practice satisfaction through deep and natural behaviors. Conversely, negative affective experiences were linked to surface behavior and inversely related to natural behavior and teaching practice satisfaction. Surface behavior negatively impacted satisfaction, while natural behavior positively correlated with it. Multiple mediation analysis also indicated those negative affective experiences indirectly influenced teaching practice satisfaction via surface and natural behaviors. Emotional labor partially mediates the relationship between affective experiences and teaching practice satisfaction. These findings offer empirical evidence and practical insights for enhancing satisfaction through emotional labor strategies and the management of affective experiences.