Background: Difficulties in emotional reactivity have repeatedly been associated with the development of psychopathology and generalised poorer outcomes. While much of this research has been conducted using self-report measures, laboratory based mood inductions may provide novel insights into factors associated with emotional reactivity. Research thus far has been predominantly focussed on factors predicting reactivity to anger or stress and little is known about what might predict reactivity to sadness. Aims: to identify cognitive and affective factors associated with emotional reactivity in a laboratory based sad mood induction experiment. Method: Participants (N =140, Mean age = 19.37, 71% Female) completed self-report questionnaires measuring cognitive, affective and behavioural tendencies. Following this, participants experienced both a negative (sad) and neutral mood induction (MI) procedure. Mood conditions were counterbalanced across participants. Sadness was measured using a visual analogue rating scale. Participants rated levels of sadness at baseline and after each MI. Emotion reactivity was the reported sadness following the sad MI controlling for baseline sadness. Results: Compared to baseline, reported sadness increased after the sad mood induction. Correlation analysis showed a significant relationship between aspects of temperament, behavioural systems, irritability and sadness. A hierarchical linear regression revealed that the BIS, a measure of behavioural inhibition, was the only factor to significantly predict emotional reactivity. The addition of any other correlates did not add any significant predictive value. Post hoc analyses showed that the anxiety domain of the BIS significantly predicted emotional reactivity. The fear domain of the BIS did not add any significant predictive value. Conclusions: These findings indicate that the BIS, and in particular the Anxiety portion of the BIS, predicts emotional reactivity to a sad mood induction. Results can be used to inform future research in the field by creating a platform for work with a clinical population.