Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ

By Daniel Goleman. New York: Bantam Books, 1997, 309 pp.

Reviewed by Maggie Horne, B.A., Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, MD

Emotional Intelligence is a persuasive book arguing that high levels of self-awareness, self-discipline, and empathy facilitate success in life more than IQ. The author, Daniel Goleman, Ph.D is a former professor at Harvard, a former senior editor at Psychology Today, and currently covers the behavioral and brain sciences for The New York Times.

After presenting his evidence for the importance of emotional intelligence, Goleman applies his findings to implications for individual lives and society at large.

Goleman begins Part I with an overview of how and why human emotion developed, specifically to activate action, from an evolutionary and neurological perspective. This section could be recommended to an intellectually minded client to further illustrate why emotions are important, but it is not likely to facilitate worthwhile discussion in therapy.

In Part II, Goleman uses examples of studies ranging from social success in preschool to longitudinal studies of high school valedictorians and CEOs to establish the importance of emotional intelligence. He defines emotional intelligence as the ability to know one’s emotions, manage one’s emotions, motivate oneself, recognize emotions in others, and handle relationships.

Each of the chapters in Part II elaborates on a different dimension of this definition. These chapters have clinical utility because they may promote exploration and insight based on the client’s newfound understanding. For example, if a client’s issue is anger management reading the chapter on managing one’s emotions give them information about the evolutionary and neurological root of anger and what to do about it in light of that information.

In Part III, Goleman applies the concept of emotional intelligence to specific societal problems. Chapter 9 is a sociological discussion of the different ways in which boys and girls learn how to handle their emotions and emotional situations. In summarizing the research, Goleman concludes that in general women come into marriage better prepared for the role of emotional manager and that men begin marriage with less appreciation of emotions.  He hypothesizes that this emotional discrepancy is the root of the high prevalence of divorce in modern society.

Thus, this chapter is useful for any couple struggling with communication or with negotiating emotional issues in their relationship. Chapter 10 focuses on the impact of emotions on managing and leading groups. Its discussion of motivation, critiquing performance, and handling diversity is useful for clients with problems at work, especially if they are in a position of power.

In Part IV, Goleman discusses the way in which a brain and its emotional adeptness is molded in childhood and makes the case that sound teaching in emotional skills can override temperament to large degree. It could be useful for parents with shy or volatile children. He also asserts that although clients with PTSD may always have the limbic circuitry that sends off alarms, the prefrontal cortex and related areas can learn healthy responses. Although presented in a technical fashion, such information could provide hope for patients suffering with PTSD.

In Part V, Goleman discusses the implications of the lack of attention to emotions in school. For example, Goleman considers the finding that “the dropout rate for children who are rejected by peers is two and eight times greater than for children who have friends” (p.250), identifies the characteristics of children who are typically rejected at school, and discusses how to help children with such characteristics. These chapters have psychoeducational utility for the parent’s of children struggling socially in school.

Overall, there are a variety of clients for whom this book would be useful. Effective use of this book in bibliotherapy would not require a client to read it in entirety, but rather specific chapters based on the presenting problem could be assigned and discussed in session.

The chapters in Part II discuss lack of awareness of emotion, becoming overwhelmed by emotion, channeling emotion, empathy, and effective expression of emotion. These chapters could be assigned individually or in sequence.

It is recommended that couples read Chapter 9, “Intimate Enemies”; clients with problems at work read Chapter 10, “Managing with Heart”; clients with PTSD read Chapter 13, “Trauma and Emotional Relearning”; and parents with children who are struggling socially in school read Part V, “Emotional Literacy.”

This book could also provide hope for a client with high emotional intelligence that receives results from intelligence assessment that are lower than he or she expected. Chapter 3, “When Smart is Dumb” and Part V, “Emotional Literacy” are recommended for such a client.

Since Goleman uses real life stories to illustrate his points, some suggestions for beginning discussion based on any of these chapters are, do any of the stories resonate with you? and what are the implications of the conclusions Goleman draws in this chapter for you and your circumstances?

A possible limitation of this book is that it is quite technical. The reader should have a high school reading level or above. Nevertheless, it is highly recommended for older adolescents, as this information is useful for their growth. Although many of the topics are relevant to children, it is more appropriate for this book to be recommended to their parents.