Emotional inteligence
sensory information that have not been fully sorted outand integrated into a recognizable object. It's a very rawform of sensory information, something like a neuralName That Tune, where, instead of snap judgments ofmelody being made on the basis of just a few notes, awhole perception is grasped on the basis of the first fewtentative parts. If the amygdala senses a sensory patternof import emerging, it jumps to a conclusion, triggeringits reactions before there is full confirming evidence—orany confirmation at all.Small wonder we can have so little insight into themurk of our more explosive emotions, especially whilethey still hold us in thrall. The amygdala can react in adelirium of rage or fear before the cortex knows what isgoing on because such raw emotion is triggered independentof, and prior to, thought.THE EMOTIONAL MANAGER58/661A friend's six-year-old daughter Jessica was spendingher first night ever sleeping over at a playmate's, and itwas unclear who was more nervous about it, mother ordaughter. While the mother tried not to let Jessica seethe intense anxiety she felt, her tension peaked nearmidnight that night, as she was getting ready for bedand heard the phone ring. Dropping her toothbrush, she
59/661raced to the phone, her heart pounding, images of Jessicain terrible distress racing through her mind.The mother snatched the receiver, and blurted, "Jessica!"into the phone—only to hear a woman's voice say,"Oh, I think this must be a wrong number...."At that, the mother recovered her composure, and in apolite, measured tone, asked, "What number were youcalling?"While the amygdala is at work in priming an anxious,impulsive reaction, another part of the emotional brainallows for a more fitting, corrective response. Thebrain's clamper switch for the amygdala's surges appearsto lie at the other end of a major circuit to the neocortex,in the prefrontal lobes just behind the forehead.The prefrontal cortex seems to be at work whensomeone is fearful or enraged, but stifles or controls thefeeling in order to deal more effectively with the situationat hand, or when a reappraisal calls for a completelydifferent response, as with the worried motheron the phone. This neocortical area of the brain brings amore analytic or appropriate response to our emotionalimpulses, modulating the amygdala and other limbicareas.Ordinarily the prefrontal areas govern our emotionalreactions from the start. The largest projection of sensoryinformation from the thalamus, remember, goes not
- Page 8 and 9: 8/661the rich possibilities the cit
- Page 10 and 11: 10/661this erratic tide of outburst
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- Page 18 and 19: PART ONETHE EMOTIONAL BRAIN
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- Page 40 and 41: moment passes, those so possessed h
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- Page 48 and 49: 48/661LeDoux overturned the prevail
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- Page 68 and 69: PART TWOTHE NATURE OFEMOTIONALINTEL
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- Page 86 and 87: you get that are essential for inte
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59/661
raced to the phone, her heart pounding, images of Jessica
in terrible distress racing through her mind.
The mother snatched the receiver, and blurted, "Jessica!"
into the phone—only to hear a woman's voice say,
"Oh, I think this must be a wrong number...."
At that, the mother recovered her composure, and in a
polite, measured tone, asked, "What number were you
calling?"
While the amygdala is at work in priming an anxious,
impulsive reaction, another part of the emotional brain
allows for a more fitting, corrective response. The
brain's clamper switch for the amygdala's surges appears
to lie at the other end of a major circuit to the neocortex,
in the prefrontal lobes just behind the forehead.
The prefrontal cortex seems to be at work when
someone is fearful or enraged, but stifles or controls the
feeling in order to deal more effectively with the situation
at hand, or when a reappraisal calls for a completely
different response, as with the worried mother
on the phone. This neocortical area of the brain brings a
more analytic or appropriate response to our emotional
impulses, modulating the amygdala and other limbic
areas.
Ordinarily the prefrontal areas govern our emotional
reactions from the start. The largest projection of sensory
information from the thalamus, remember, goes not
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