# Emotional Regulation **Domain:** Behavioral Science / Psychology / Human Performance **Doc Type:** Concept Node **Maturity:** Developing ## Definition **Emotional regulation is the set of processes through which a person influences which emotions arise, how strongly they are expressed, how long they organize attention and behavior, and how the person returns to effective action.** Regulation can involve reframing an event, redirecting attention, changing the environment, slowing action, using language deliberately, seeking support, or repairing an interaction. Regulation does not require suppressing every emotion. Effective regulation preserves information carried by emotion while preventing the first surge from becoming the only available command. It supports [[wiki/Composure|Composure]] during immediate disruption and [[wiki/Human Resilience|Human Resilience]] across longer stress. ## Simple Reminders, Quotations, and Thoughts > “Mishaps reveal character. Spilling a drink across a laptop and clothes just before a flight can become a moment of laughter and grace instead of panic. How a person handles small disasters shows how they will handle larger ones.” > **— Bryant McGill**, *Why Real Love Gives Freedom and Lets Go of Control - Livestream (Dec 2015)* [[reminders/Composure/How a Person Handles Small Disasters Reveals Character by Bryant McGill|How a Person Handles Small Disasters Reveals Character by Bryant McGill]] ## Relationships [[wiki/Composure|Composure]] · [[wiki/Human Resilience|Human Resilience]] · [[wiki/Stress Inoculation|Stress Inoculation]]