Emotional Regulation
Introduction
“…Emotional regulation is the process of managing emotions to maintain a balanced response that is appropriate to the challenges…”
Susan McGarvie, 2025
Emotional regulation is the ability to:
- Notice emotions as they arise
- Understand what is triggering them
- Modulate their intensity and expression
- Choose responses aligned with values and goals
It does not mean:
- Suppressing emotions
- Ignoring feelings
- “Staying positive” at all costs
It means managing emotions intelligently, so they handle behaviour rather, than control it.
From a neuroscience perspective:
- The amygdala generates fast emotional reactions (threat, fear, anger, etc)
- The prefrontal cortex regulates, interprets and guides response
- Emotional regulation strengthens the connection between the two
NB Neuroplasticity has shown that we can essentially rewire our brain to better manage our emotions:
“…Somatic psychology (mind-body approach) research has revealed that the parasympathetic nervous system can be actively engaged after trauma and stress to help improve emotional regulation…”
Price as quoted by Susan McGarvie, 2025
Some approaches to emotional regulation
- Dual process approach (emotion regulation is conscious thought, ie a deliberate attempt to manage emotions, with the aim of controlling autonomic (without conscious thought) processes.)
- Polyvagal approach (the role of the autonomic nervous system, especially the vagus nerve; social engagement and self-soothing are important in maintaining emotional balance.)
- Gross process approach (emotional regulation is broken into 5 stages: situation selection, situation modification, attention deployment, cognitive change in response modulation; its focus is on emotional regulation at different points in the emotion-generating process.)
- Cognitive-behavioural approach (this highlights the role of thought patterns in regulating emotion; by changing negative or distorted thoughts, individuals can modify their emotional responses.)
The main factors that can influence emotional regulation
“…It is influenced by genetics, development, environment and mental health…”
Susan McGarvie, 2025
- Genetic factors (genetics can play a role in our predisposition to emotional reactivity and regulation; genetics can influence our neurotransmitter systems, like serotonin, which impact mood and emotional stability.)
- Psychological factors (the nervous system, especially the (ANS) is important in emotional regulation; for example, heartrate variability is an important element, and chronic stress and trauma can upset ANS making it more difficult to control your emotions.)
- Developmental factors (factors like brain development (including plasticity), childhood experiences, etc can strongly impact emotional regulation.)
- Mental health factors (
“…Emotional regulation is important for mental health…… But we also know that conditions such as attention deficiency hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, depression can also make emotional regulation more challenging…”
Susan McGarvie, 2025)
Gender differences in emotional regulation
- Behavioural differences
“…Women tend to be more likely to express emotions, while men may use more suppression techniques to control emotional expression, particularly negative emotions like fear or sadness……this has been shown to give women a competitive advantage…”
Susan McGarvie, 2025
- Neural differences (men and women may use different neural pathways when regulating emotion, ie women tend to engage the left hemisphere while men tend to activate the right hemisphere)
- Social and cultural differences (socialisation is important in emotional regulation
“…Cultural norms and expectations shape how men and women are taught to express and manage emotions. In many societies, men are discouraged from openly displaying vulnerability, while are more likely to be emotionally expressive…”
Susan McGarvie, 2025
NB Well-regulated leaders stay responsive, not reactive.