Traditionally, we have defined ourselves as a rational species, with a strong ability to control emotions through conscious and rational processes. However, the most modern theories of psychology affirm that we should give more importance to feelings and abilities such as empathy and emotional management. One of the most widespread theories is that of emotional intelligence. In it, pioneers like Daniel Goleman affirm that our rational abilities are not the most important thing on our path to personal improvement and psychological growth.
What is the real key to success?
If the Daniel Goleman’s theory of emotional intelligence Arouse your interest and you want to know more about your abilities beyond logic and rationality, we recommend you read the following Psychology-Online article.
Emotional Intelligence: definition and characteristics
We define Emotional Intelligence as the ability to understand other people’s emotions, understand our own, and manage our emotional states. Qualities such as empathy, motivation or social skills are part of a spectrum of capabilities included within the niche of Emotional Intelligence.
Rational brain vs emotional mind
If there is something that defines the human being, it is his ability to reason and reflect on everything that surrounds him, however, this is not always the case. Sometimes, our emotions take over us, causing situations of both personal and social discomfort. We can say that each of us has two types of intelligence: rational and emotional. Both mentalities usually overlap and, although they function independently, one cannot act without the influence of the other.
- Let’s say, for example, making a very important decision: This mental process is characterized by weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the options to be chosen. Although we are initially convinced that we have made a decision based on a rational process, when we think about the repercussions that said decision will have, our emotional brain kicks in, thus making each option have a strong emotional component. .
Components of emotional intelligence
Goleman defines Emotional Intelligence as a way of understanding cognitive processes beyond logical and rational thinking. He describes it through five principles or:
- Emotional self-awareness: the ability to understand our own moods.
- Emotional self-regulation: the ability to control behaviors based on emotional impulses and, in this way, better adapt to social dynamics.
- Motivation: the ability to direct our energies towards a goal or objective.
- Empathy: the quality of understanding and experiencing the emotional states of other people as one’s own.
- Social skills: the tendency to always give the most appropriate response to the social demands of the environment.
Daniel Goleman and his theories
Before talking about Goleman, it is important to mention that he did not invent this term, he “just” coined it. He defined a theory based on Emotional Intelligence with which today we can work on our psychological abilities. Almost a hundred years ago we were already talking about the emotional aspects of intelligence, however, thanks to this new wave of theories, and with the help of neuroscience, we can affirm that emotional intelligence has enormous power in our lives and in the world. personal success.
The evolution of Emotional Intelligence
Daniel Goleman tells us about physical and structural evolution that our brain has been experiencing. It states that in prehistory our survival functions were primitive and were based on simple responses to keep us alive, which is why the brain stem area (the most primitive brain area) is responsible for regulating functions such as breathing, digestion. and body temperature.
As the generations passed, we learned new ways of relating and our brains evolved, thus adapting to our more advanced way of life. It is said that the limbic system (the one in charge of regulating our emotional behavior) underwent an enormous evolution. Today, the human nervous system is extremely complex, it is full of connections and has a specific area dedicated to consciously managing our thoughts.
The importance of emotional capacities
While it is true that our ability to reason allows us to solve problems and situations effectively, it is not the secret of human happiness or personal success. Goleman states that IQ only predicts 10 to 20% of success in life. It seems to be practically irrelevant in our relationships, what matters in the end is not our intellectual abilities but our personal aptitudes.
Emotional Intelligence is not fixed, it fluctuates throughout our lives and thanks to this we can develop new capacities and social skills, it improves over the years.
In summary, Daniel Goleman’s theory of emotional intelligence affirms that something beyond intellect is required for us to “do well in life” and that Emotional Intelligence is the key to personal success.
Emotional Intelligence Test
To measure all these abilities that we have been mentioning, it was necessary to create a scale or test to discover our level of Emotional Intelligence. High emotional capacities can be seen reflected in different areas of our daily life, whether in the family, romantic relationships and we can even value Emotional intelligence at work.
The Goleman Emotional Intelligence Test is based on checking our current level (remember that it is a capacity that can fluctuate) in relation to scores of the entire population. It consists of 68 questions or items that we must answer with total sincerity. It can be passed to both adults and children and the questions are easy to understand.
You can take the test by doing click In the following link:
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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