The science behind emotional intelligence

To begin: What is an emotion?

Before diving into the theme of emotional intelligence, it is necessary to define the central element on which it relies: emotions. Very briefly, an emotion is an energy passage in the body that will push it to action. Each emotion plays a specific role as it prepares the body for a specific reaction. Take, for example, fear, which appears in the body as a sensation triggering an activation of blood flow to the muscles to prepare the body to react. On a cognitive level, attention will be focused on the threat, whether real or imagined. Thus, every emotion that emerges is the result of a person’s subjective interpretation of a situation. This subjective interpretation is based on all their learnings, whether conscious or not, linked to their past. 

The power of the emotional brain 

It is important to highlight that the brain is composed of two minds, one thinks and the other feels. When we talk about intelligence, it takes a different form in each case. There is usually a balance between these two minds (the rational and the emotional). Nevertheless, the emotional brain has the power to dominate the rational mind when a threat is perceived. Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to think effectively about a subject when we feel very sad or angry? This underlines the great power of the emotional brain over other cerebral structures. 

But from a biological point of view, why is it so difficult to have a rational reasoning when an intense emotion is present? 

The limbic system, also known as the emotional brain, comprises the brain structures that govern behaviours motivated by emotions. Thus, it is this system that examines each situation by being attentive to elements in its environment that could be harmful. Simply disliking a detail can provoke a reaction and send an alert through the body. The emotional brain then takes control of the brain, including the part related to reason. More specifically, it is the amygdala, which is part of the emotional brain, that will trigger the alarm system. Its role is to decode external stimuli in order to trigger a behavioural reaction connected to the situation it judged as a threat. This behavioural reaction will differ for each person.  

A person’s organism might have learned that when fear emerges, a reaction that provides temporary security is to flee the perceived threatening situation. Let us remember that interpretation is based on all past experiences that may have similarities with the event, whether small or large. This is explained by the fact that the amygdala circuit is a cognitive shortcut allowing the fastest possible reaction to protect the organism. However, this quick response does not provide an adapted response to the situation considering that the region ensuring a full information processing involving the rational mind, the neocortex, is bypassed.  For example, that is what happens when we feel anxiety: the system fixes attention on the immediate threat and is no longer interested in other things, in order to mobilize the organism to face the threat. Chronic worry does not allow us to approach a satisfying solution considering that the brain structures associated with problem-solving are not supplied with blood flow, meaning they are not energized. Let us remember that blood is directed towards the body organs allowing it to flee or fight. In this situation, where the emotion of worry dominates reason, the brain is in a form of cognitive immobility. We could say that the content of our memory depends on our emotional state.

In summary, the amygdala circuit is very primitive and associated with survival. It allows offering a very quick response because it takes into account less information. In other words, what we gain in speed is lost in precision, leading to a less appropriate reaction considering that there is no balance between the rational and emotional mind. We could say that an emotion is precognitive when only the amygdala circuit is involved in the interpretation of a situation, as it only allows perceiving a beginning of information, to start the alarm. The emotion is elicited even before the thought (which occurs in the neocortex) appears.

Defining Emotional Intelligence

Given the dominance of the emotional brain, it may be interesting to consider the place and importance of emotional intelligence, which is the ability to recognize one's emotions and automatic reactions associated with them, in order to regain control over automations that can impact our lives. Caution, emotional intelligence is not about feeling a lot of emotions, or conversely, blocking them. This form of intelligence fully recognizes the presence of emotions and their uncontrollable emergence. An emotionally intelligent person is in a position to be in contact with emotions that arise and can choose the reaction desired in response to the emergence of an emotion. This may involve needing to take breaks to reduce impulsivity linked to emotional intensity or the desire to avoid certain emotions. Emotional intelligence is recognized by the flexibility of the mind or its ability to adapt to all sorts of situations. 

Thus, knowing that the emotional brain will trigger routine reactions learned in emotional moments of the past, it is necessary to practice healthy strategies so they become more natural in the emotional repertoire during crisis moments when the brain will be tempted to react automatically. We invite you to consult a psychosocial counselor to deepen this reflection.