Argyle Bumanglag, G13, Psy409b, Spring 2000, My Oral Presentation of Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, pages 33

My oral presentation covers chapters 3 and 4 of Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman. Chapter 3, entitled "When Smart is Dumb," provides us with the insight that IQ does not necessarily correlate with success. In this chapter, Goleman tries to distinguish IQ from emotional intelligence and provides several arguments to try and demonstrate why IQ may not be the only intelligence that matters. Chapter 4, entitled "Know Thyself," builds on this idea and also introduces the concept of "feeling" and its importance in our lives.

This main point of this section is that IQ is useless in explaining the different destinies of people. Goleman argues that a high IQ does not necessarily lead to the best life. He presents us with three studies which serve to support the notion that IQ does very little in explaining the destinies of people in the same situations. Each of the three studies involves comparing a person's IQ with his/her productivity and happiness/success in life. A high IQ only meant that the individual had mastered the technique of taking tests. Therefore, Goleman argues that the findings of these studies suggest that IQ was not really an accurate predictor of success, but rather, emotional intelligence was of greater importance. Emotional intelligence has a greater impact on success because it involves being able to handle emotions, frustrations and interact positively with other people. Goleman argues that these are the traits that are important in life.

My initial reaction to this section of the book was that I felt that Goleman was putting too little emphasis on IQ and too much emphasis on emotional intelligence. I was surprised simply because the ideas that Goleman presents in this section go against our society's belief. Our whole school system is based on rewarding the development of IQ. For example, standardized tests dictate placement in classes, and also acceptance into certain schools. Therefore, as I thought about it more, I realized that I disagree with the ideas that Goleman presents in this chapter. First and foremost, I think it is impossible to generalize the findings of 3 studies towards the entire population. The findings seem limiting since they involve only a small portion of the population.

The subject of this section relates to our class because we are interested in developing emotional intelligence while driving. Driving is an example of a situation where IQ may not be enough - we each need to have some level of emotional intelligence to understand the feelings/actions of other drivers on the road.

The main point of this section is that there are two different kinds of intelligence. In this section, Goleman cites the difference between Interpersonal and Intrapersonal intelligence. Interpersonal intelligence involves understanding other people, and is an attribute of successful salespeople, politicians, teachers, clinicians, and religious leaders (Goleman, 39.) Intrapersonal intelligence, on the other hand, is a form of self-understanding that Goleman argues is used to operate effectively in life (Goleman, 39.)

This section presents the idea that emotions is a necessary component of thinking. Emotions make up interpersonal intelligence, and are important factors for success. Goleman tries to clarify this idea by using the examples of Spock and Data, two characters from the Star Trek series. In his argument, Spock represents the old cognitive theorist view, and demonstrates the idea that emotions have no place in intelligence. Data, on the other hand, is used to represent the new view of thinking that Goleman suggests, and symbolizes the importance of feelings in our thinking.

This Section builds on the importance of emotional intelligence, and goes on to define the five domains of emotional intelligence. Psychologist Peter Salovey (Goleman, 43,) breaks down emotional intelligence into the following 5 domains:

1. Knowing one's Emotions - This domain deals with self-awareness, and is considered the keystone of emotional intelligence. This domain provides individuals with a greater sense of self-understanding, and therefore have greater security in their personal decision-making.

2. Managing Emotions - This domain deals with being able to handle the various emotions that are experienced in life. This includes being able to shake off feelings of anxiety, gloom, irritability, or failure. This domain is a characteristic of resilient people who can quickly recover from life's setbacks and upsets.

3. Motivating oneself - This domain deals with channeling emotions to help reach a goal and foster a sense of mastery and creativity. According to Salovey, being able to get into the "flow" state enables outstanding performance of all kinds (Goleman, 43.) This skill is a characteristic of people who are more productive and effective in any task that they undertake.

4. Recognizing emotions in others - This domain is a description of empathy, and is an essential skill for understanding the feelings and behaviors of other people. People who are strong in this domain have a greater understanding of what people want and need, and therefore are considered better "people persons."

5. Handling relationships - This domain consists of skills in managing other people's emotions. This domain is a characteristic of people who are able to interact well socially with others.

The main point that Goleman is driving at is that people have different levels of each domain. This idea suggests that perhaps there is a possibility that each of us can learn to strengthen each of these five domains within ourselves.

This section describes the elements that IQ and emotional intelligence bring to the overall picture of intelligence. Goleman argues that the differences in both types of intelligence can be seen more clearly when we examine the "pure types" of each form of intelligence. Purely high-IQ people are characterized as being highly intellectual but lacking in the personal world. These people are highly successful in intellectual activities, but become uneasy when it comes to dealing with matters that are more personal and emotion - based such as relationships. On the other hand, people with high emotional intelligence are considered to be more adept to handle the events we face in the real world. These people are socially healthier and adapt well to stress. Unlike the pure IQ types, these people are more outgoing and cheerful. By distinguishing the two "pure types" of intelligence, Goleman allows us to see what each type brings to a person's qualities.

Chapter 4 opens with a brief introduction that presents some ideas regarding self awareness. Self - awareness is the main theme of this section, and introduces the idea of being "mindful." Mindfulness (a transpersonal term,) involves being aware of the surrounding environment and also of our physical and mental states. An example of mindfulness in action would be stepping back and realizing that "this is anger I am feeling." This first section of chapter 4 introduces the 3 styles for dealing with emotion.

(1) Self aware - This coping strategy is regarded as being highly sophisticated. It involves being aware of our emotions and acting on them appropriately. People who possess this style of dealing with emotions are regarded as possessing a positive outlook and are people who manage their emotions well.

(2) Engulfed - This mind state is characteristic of people who feel swamped by their emotions. These people are not very aware of their feelings and therefore feel a lack of control and are often overwhelmed by their emotions.

(3) Accepting - The third mind state is composed of people who understand what they are feeling and tend to accept them without change. This third style of dealing with emotions is made up of two groups of people. The first group of people are people who are in a good mood and don't change anything. The second group is composed of people who are in a bad mood and don't change anything. Goleman suggests that the latter group has a stronger link to developing depression.

The main theme of this section is that people react 2 ways to a particular situation - people either tune in or tune out. People's reactions can fall into two continuums - they are either greatly overwhelmed by the situation, or they are barely affected by the situation and react indifferently.

This section introduces us to a disorder that psychiatrists call alexithymia. Alexithymia is characterized by the inability to express emotion. People who have this condition are unable to know or put into words what their feelings are. Goleman tries to add a biological element to the discussion by arguing that this disorder is caused by the neocortex not being able to sort out these feelings and add language to them. I was not really sure about what the purpose of this section was because it doesn't seem to fit into the ideas that Goleman originally began with in the first sections of this chapter. Perhaps the main purpose of this section is to try and offer support to show the importance of emotions in our lives.

This section demonstrates the role of feeling in our decision making. Goleman argues that the important decisions in our life, such as who to marry, what house to buy, etc. are entrusted to our emotion. In other words, the important decisions are determined by our gut feeling as to what we feel is right. To demonstrate this point, Goleman includes the story of a man named Elliot who had part of his prefrontal lobe removed due to the presence of a tumor. As a result of the operation, Elliot became indifferent and nothing had any meaning to him. Once again, it seems that Goleman is trying to make a connection between the biological and the affective. From my understanding, it appears that he is trying to suggest that the biological systems (such as the different areas of the brain,) are what control our emotions.

The final section of chapter 4 builds on the idea that emotions have a powerful impact on our lives. In this section, we are introduced to the idea that emotion is composed of 2 levels - conscious and unconscious. The idea is that sometimes emotions occur unconsciously without us even being aware of them. This idea is the building block of being able to shake a bad mood, because perhaps if we are able to bring our emotions to the conscious, we have a better chance of maintaining control over our actions. This section mainly builds on the ideas presented in the previous sections of this chapter - it is important for us to maintain a high level of self-awareness in order to manage our emotions effectively and control our actions.

(A) I would surely like to believe that his claim is true because it would give more hope to us who have average IQ. In a sense, I feel more towards believing this idea because IQ does not necessarily equal success. I like to believe that a person with an average IQ can be as successful as a person with higher IQ. It just would require a greater amount of work and discipline. And, I think this is the area where emotional intelligence plays a greater role. According to Goleman's claim, people with higher emotional intelligence are more resilient and are able to adapt better. This attitude/behavior is what drives these people with average or low IQs to become successful.

(Q2) Can you think (IQ) anything without a motive (emotion) to guide it and keep it going?

(A) I don't think so, because all our thoughts are guided by our emotions. We must have some motivation (emotion) to drive the idea. I think without emotion, we wouldn't be able to possess thought because there would be no driving force behind the thought.

(Q3) What's the difference or relationship between EIQ (emotional intelligence) and rationality?

(A) I found myself getting confused while trying to answer this question. It would all depend on how you would define rationality. In other words, does IQ = rationality or does EIQ = rationality. If we consider Salovey's 5 domains for emotional intelligence (Goleman, 43-44), then we can say that emotional intelligence is rationality. When an individual acts/thinks/feels rationally, then that individual is also displaying an asset emotional intelligence. But, I feel that this is where the confusion comes in. But what role does IQ play with rationality? One can also argue that intelligent thought is rational thought. I am not really an expert in this field, so I would appreciate any comments that anyone may have on this subject. (Maybe I can post responses at a later time)

(A) I think that the concept of emotional intelligence is not limited to one of the two disciplines, but rather is a combination of cognitive and affective principles. First of all, it is an affective concept since it involves a person's feelings/emotions. On the other hand, it can also be considered a cognitive concept because the modern study of cognition is concerned with mental processes. Therefore, I think emotional intelligence can be considered a combination of cognitive and affective concept.

(Q1) Do you think emotional intelligence is determined/influenced solely by genetics?

(A) I don't think that emotional intelligence is based solely on genetics. Genetics provides each individual with a predisposed amount of emotional intelligence, but our environment also contribute to the shaping of our emotional intelligence. In fact, the environment might play an even greater influence on emotional intelligence.

(Q2) Do you think that personality's tests for aggressiveness can be modeled in some way for an emotional intelligence test?

(A) I am not too familiar with personality psychology tests for aggressiveness. However, I do feel that in order to create an ideal test for emotional intelligence, there must be some way of quantifying the assessment of emotional intelligence. The whole concept of emotional intelligence is very abstract, and therefore, I think that proper assessment can only be brought about once every one has agreed first of all on 1 definition of what emotional intelligence is, and also once someone determines how the concepts can be quantitatively measured.

(Q3) We may think we know ourselves and how we would react in all situations. Do you believe we really can know ourselves without emotional intelligence?

(A) From the viewpoint that our actions are based on our emotions, I would have to say that to fully understand ourselves and our emotions, we would require some form of emotional intelligence. I think we require some emotional intelligence to achieve total self-awareness.

(Q1) It seems that IQ and emotional intelligence is separated. Doesn't it both relate to one another? IQ affects our way to have better emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence initiates IQ.

(A) Well, from my understanding of the info. presented by Goleman, I would have to say that yes - IQ and emotional intelligence are separated. Nevertheless, I have no doubt that they interact and influence one another. Maybe it's akin to the structure of our brains. The left and right hemispheres are two separate regions with separate functions that interact to process information. Maybe IQ and emotional intelligence act in the same way as the right hemisphere vs. left hemisphere of the brain.

(A) Yes, I believe that driving always requires self-awareness. We need to be aware of our emotions at all times so that we can act rationally on the road. I think that road rage comes about as a result of a lack of self awareness of our emotions.

(Q1) Would it be feasible to implement emotional intelligence as one of the criteria for college acceptance? Why or why not?

(A) At this point, I don't think it would be too feasible, mainly because colleges and our whole educational system are more interested in seeing IQ performance. In addition, I don't think too many people accept the existence of EIQ - most people still view IQ as the main form of intelligence.

(Q2) Who do you think will have more success: one with low IQ but high EIQ or one with high IQ but low EIQ?

(A) I think the individual with higher IQ would look much better on applications, etc. Therefore, the higher IQ individual might have greater opportunities for success as opposed to the lower IQ individual. However, as Goleman points out, individuals with higher IQ are more adept in interacting with people. Therefore, I would consider the person with higher EIQ to be more successful, mainly because I don't think IQ has too much to do with work performance. Both individuals may be able to get the job done, but the higher EIQ individual will be more successful because he/she will know how to interact properly with other individuals.

(A) By intelligence, I am assuming that you are referring to IQ. In that case, I feel that emotion is the driving force for thought. We cannot think and maintain a thought without some motivation (emotion).

(A) I think that although there may be two separate types of intelligence, they can be combined to form one integrated working model of intelligence. In my view, the interaction between emotions and intelligence is similar to the interaction between the left and right hemispheres of our brains.

(A) Well, individuals who possess high emotional intelligence are socially poised, outgoing, cheerful, and more resilient. They are able to manage their emotions well and are comfortable with their selves and their social environment. Perhaps one important aspect of emotionally intelligent people is that they adapt well to stress.

(Q1) Which is more important, interpersonal intelligence or intrapersonal intelligence?

(A) Of the two types of intelligence, I think that interpersonal intelligence is more important. The main reason I believe this is because we need to be able to know how to interact with people in order to be successful in our society. Interpersonal intelligence can provide an individual with the characteristics required to adapt to any given social interaction - i.e. driving, school, dating, etc.

(Q2) Do you think that schools nowadays lack the teaching of emotional intelligence? What are your suggestions for incorporating that into the school curriculum?

(A) I think one reason why the teaching of emotional intelligence is lacking in our schools is because it is not really a widely accepted concept. There are many people/institutions who are probably not even aware of the separate existence of emotional intelligence. Therefore, in order to get emotional intelligence incorporated into our school system, we must first find a way to educate our society of the existence of emotional intelligence.

(A) Well, like any other task, I think learning can be brought about only through constant practice. Perhaps by forcing ourselves to interact more with other people, we are increasing our chances of using/developing emotional intelligence. Also, in order to be able to act with emotional intelligence, we have to learn to develop a sense of self - awareness in order to be able to control our emotions and make correct decisions.

(Q1) Can we all be emotionally intelligent even though we can't all be traditionally intelligent?

(A) I don't see why not. I'm pretty sure we can all develop some level of emotional intelligence regardless of our level of IQ.

(Q2) Is there one type of intelligence that might be more important while we are driving?

(A) I would have to say that emotional intelligence is more important while driving because it is what keeps our emotions in check. I think it is what allows us to assert control on our emotions and prevent us from acting with road rage.

(Q3) A shy person may not be outgoing and may not appear cheerful, are they emotionally cold?

(A) This is an interesting question, and to tell you the truth, I'm not quite sure how to answer it. I would like to believe that just because an individual is shy, it does not necessarily mean that the person is unable to have feelings.

(A) I don't really think that IQ guarantees success. As presented in this section of the book, there are some individuals who have high IQs who do not end up being successful, while other individuals who do not have as high an IQ become successful. I think from these examples, we can reason that IQ may present a greater possibility for success, but it doesn't necessarily guarantee it.

(Q2) I've heard people say someone like Michael Jordan is very intelligent. Maybe not in books but in basketball. Do you agree?

(A) Since there are different types of intelligence, I would agree that we can consider Michael Jordan to be an intelligent individual. Maybe we can consider his athletic ability as a superior form of physical intelligence?

(A) The five domains of emotional intelligence as described by Gardner are as follows:

4.Recognizing emotions in others - empathy or what is considered the "the people skill"

(A) Emotions can have a great effect on decision making. If emotions are allowed to take charge of our actions, then our decision making process becomes irrational. However, if we are able to maintain a level of self-awareness on our emotions, then emotions can have a positive effect and help develop rational decision making.

(A) I am not quite sure what you mean by self-witnessing state, but I am assuming you are talking about self -awareness. If this is the case, then I think that self - awareness can affect our driving by producing rational judgments and decreasing the tendency for aggressive driving.

(Q1) Out of the 400 males surveyed with the low and high IQ populations, was there any thing mentioned about the quality of the job...mainly how much salary or income was earned - comparing the two?

(A) The evidence that Goleman uses to support his theory of emotional intelligence is not very detailed. I am pretty sure the factors that you mentioned, in addition to many other possible variables, may have contributed to the overall results of the survey. However, Goleman fails to provide us with the details of the evidence, therefore we are left wondering what it all means.

(Q2) Do you think that people with more of a technical mind drive better than a "creative" mind relating to IQ or emotional intelligence?

(A) This is an excellent question. Theoretically, we could consider a technical mind to be representative of an individual with high IQ while a creative mind can be representative of an individual with high emotional intelligence. However, from my experience and observations of other drivers, I don't think any of those attributes contribute to driving style. I think driving styles are more a product of the environment rather than intelligence.

(Q1) How could you start to develop in the 5 domains of emotional intelligence? What kinds of things could you do to make sure you developed in those 5 areas?

(A) This was one area were I was also greatly interested in. Goleman provides us with the theories, but in these two sections of my report, he does not really provide us with any practical applications of the concepts. In my own view, I think that the only real way to develop in those 5 areas is to constantly interact with other people. That is the only way that I see how we can learn to manage our emotions and act appropriately to the emotions of others.

(A) I think the reason people freak out is because it is an automatic response to some fearful stimuli. People may freak out because they almost got into an accident, for example. I think it is normal to get scared, but what is important is how we handle that fear - we can use it constructively to protect ourselves, or we could lose control - in which case the fear will become destructive.

(Q1) Do you think we can drive without feelings or emotions? A lot of people drive so much everyday to the same place, that maybe while driving, people don't think about driving, but rather they do it automatically.

(A) I think that feelings are a constant part of our driving. The act of driving in itself may become unconscious and automatic, but our feelings still dictate our actions while driving - i.e. how fast we drive, whether to speed up/slow down, tailgate another car, etc.

(Q1) Do you think that having a higher IQ would increase your "opportunities" in life, thus it could contribute to your fate/destiny in life?

(A) In our society, it is very clear that having a higher IQ greatly increases opportunities in life. Take for example all the school entrance examinations, etc. Our educational system places such a great emphasis on standardized tests as predictors of an individual's ability. Programs that are highly selective usually are tend to be limited to individuals with higher IQ because of this dependency on standardized test performance. As a result, in our society, having a higher IQ provides an individual with a lot more opportunities than an individual with lower IQ.

(Q2) Ahhh, I see you have taken Transpersonal Psychology. Coming from that point of view, do you believe that you can put aside all of your emotions when meditating? And do you think we can do that when driving; maybe not totally putting aside our emotions, but perhaps suppressing it so that it doesn't bother us?

(A) In Transpersonal Psychology, being "mindful" (aware) of our feelings is a key concept. I think the whole point of meditating is not necessarily blocking out and putting aside all emotions, but rather, being aware of them in the present moment and living side by side with our emotions. Therefore, if we apply Transpersonal concepts to the area of driving, I don't think that suppressing our emotions is what is needed. Rather, I think the important thing is being able to become aware of our emotions so that we can respond appropriately to a given situation.

(Q3) When driving, which do you think has more of an influence on us, emotional intelligence or IQ? And which type of intelligence do you think is more dangerous?

(A) Well, in my opinion, I don't think either type of intelligence has a greater influence over the other. When we drive, we experience a multitude of stimuli in varying degrees, therefore, I think it is necessary to incorporate both types of intelligence. In regards to which type of intelligence would be more dangerous, I would have to say that emotional intelligence, or rather the lack of, can prove to be more dangerous. The lack of emotional intelligence on its own suggests a lack of control of one's emotions. Without emotional intelligence, I don't think we would be able to successfully control our emotions on the road.

(A) I personally prefer using breathing techniques to help me keep cool while driving. I have a tendency to retaliate and let the other driver know how I feel if he/she does something that I feel is wrong. However, I find that when the situation arises, I am able to restrain myself better when I step back and focus on my breathing instead of my anger. I find that after a few deep breaths, I am able to calm down and this practice has been effective in reducing my aggressive driving tendencies.

(Q2) What does it mean when you say "unconscious?" How could someone do something unconsciously? Wouldn't you need consciousness to do anything? I wonder this because when I hear the word "unconscious," I picture a person who is knocked out cold.

(A) I think your idea of unconscious stems from a physical perspective - such as being knocked out. When I used the term unconscious in my presentation, I meant it from a cognitive point of view. I think a better word for it would be unaware. When I referred to driving as being unconscious, I meant that for some people, the whole task of driving becomes so automated that they no longer are mentally aware of their actions. I'm not sure if you have experienced this before, but I find it common when I drive. There are times, for example, when I reach my destination, and I wonder - how did I get here? Although I was physically conscious in driving, the act of driving in itself became unconscious because I was not aware of all of my actions during the trip.

In retrospect, I think that my oral presentation went pretty well. I must admit that I was really nervous at first because I was not really sure if I understood the ideas presented in the text well enough to present them. However, as the presentation went on, I started to feel more relaxed and comfortable with the topic. I really enjoyed the question and answer period because several of my classmates brought up some really interesting points about the subject matter. In fact, some questions got me thinking so hard that my ideas began to go in circles - I was beginning to confuse myself. I tried my best to answer the questions, but this is not really my area of expertise, therefore I think some of my questions are kind of limiting. I just hope that my answers were clear and understandable. My biggest concern during the presentation was to try and keep the subject matter as interesting as possible. I think my presentation took longer that I had expected, and I was getting worried that I might lose the interest of my audience. Overall, I think my presentation went well.

I must comment however that I found the whole subject matter to be confusing. One of my biggest problems was trying to assess whether IQ and emotional intelligence are two separate distinct identities that act separately or two different identities that interact to produce the same goal. I don't think Goleman really provides a clear definition of the terms he uses in his book. Everything seems a little too open ended and abstract. I think this is what made my understanding of the subject matter difficult. Nevertheless, I tried as best as I could to present the subject matter and answer the questions based on my understanding of the concepts of emotional intelligence vs. IQ.

Here are some links to the oral reports of the same subject from other students from previous generations:

I checked out the oral reports of the other students from G13 and I must say that each of them are well done. I think my favorite sections of the reports are the question and answer section. Judging from the answers that my classmates posted in response to the questions, I have come to the conclusion that there are a lot of sharp students in this generation! In regards to web page design I tried to keep my page visually appealing because I feel that is an important factor that will draw the attention of other students. I just hope my content is up to par with my other classmates.

Right now, I would suggest maybe finding a way to make the presentation more interesting or somehow get the class involved. I am not sure if this is possible with the subject material, but it's worth a try. The subject presented in this section of the book seems mainly based on theory. It would be interesting to explore the practical application of these ideas more in depth. In other words, instead of just explaining emotional intelligence, maybe present how we can better develop emotional intelligence. Also, I think it is necessary to provide a more detailed explanation of the differences of IQ and emotional intelligence. I know this is one area that I had some trouble on - it would be interesting to see someone who understands the concepts better explain it.

Main Page

Index of my class' homepages

Dr. James' Web page

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS REPORT
Overview
Chapter 3: "When Smart is Dumb"	Chapter 4: "Know Thyself"
1.EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND DESTINY	6. Chapter 4 Introduction
2.A DIFFERENT KIND OF INTELLIGENCE	7. THE PASSIONATE AND THE INDIFFERENT
3.SPOCK vs. DATA: WHEN COGNITION IS NOT ENOUGH	8. THE MAN WITHOUT FEELINGS
4.CAN EMOTIONS BE INTELLIGENT	9. IN PRAISE OF GUT FEELING
5. IQ AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: PURE TYPES	10. PLUMBING THE UNCONSCIOUS
STUDENT QUESTIONS
REACTIONS
OTHER STUDENT'S REPORTS
SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS