Relative status and emotion regulation in workplace meetings: A conceptual model

Emotion regulation is the human ability to manipulate or control the experience of and the expression of emotions. Recent research demonstrates that emotion regulation occurs in workplace meetings. In this chapter, we describe workplace meetings as emotion regulation episodes and construct a multilevel conceptual model of emotion regulation in workplace meetings. Drawing on status characteristics theories, we develop a series of propositions to suggest that power and status dynamics are predictive of emotion regulation in workplace meetings. We also propose individual (e.g., personality) and group-level (e.g., psychological safety climate) differences that may affect the relationship between status and emotion regulation. Finally, we discuss the outcomes of emotion regulation in workplace meetings and provide suggestions for meeting facilitators.