When emotional hijacking occurs, reason is temporarily shut down. It’s that moment when your feelings take the wheel and your brain just checks out. We’ve all been there, right? Let’s break down why this happens and how to get your logic back in the driver’s seat.
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Meaning
At its core, this quote means that intense emotion can literally override your brain’s capacity for rational thought. It’s a system shutdown.
Explanation
Okay, so here’s the thing. Goleman is describing a real, neurological event. Your amygdala—the brain’s alarm system—perceives a threat and sounds the alarm. It’s so powerful, so immediate, that it basically bypasses the prefrontal cortex, which is your center for logical reasoning and smart decision-making. It’s not that you’re choosing to be unreasonable; it’s that your biology has, for a moment, made it impossible. The “hijacking” is a perfect word for it. You are no longer in control. And look, the key word is temporarily. It doesn’t last forever, but in that heated moment, you are effectively flying blind.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Education (260) |
| Topics | brain (6), emotion general (105), reaction (8) |
| Literary Style | precise (9), scientific (57) |
| Emotion / Mood | calm (491) |
| Overall Quote Score | 75 (124) |
Origin & Factcheck
This concept comes straight from Daniel Goleman’s groundbreaking 1995 book, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, published in the United States. It’s his own synthesis of neuroscience and psychology, not a quote he borrowed from someone else, so you’ll often see it correctly attributed to him.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Dr Daniel Goleman (50) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ (54) |
| Origin Timeperiod | Contemporary (1615) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Daniel Goleman is a psychologist and bestselling author whose journalism at The New York Times brought brain and behavior science to a wide audience. He earned a BA from Amherst and a PhD in psychology from Harvard, and studied in India on a Harvard fellowship. Goleman’s research and writing helped mainstream emotional intelligence, leadership competencies, attention, and contemplative science. He co-founded CASEL and a leading research consortium on EI at work. The Daniel Goleman book list includes Emotional Intelligence, Working with Emotional Intelligence, Primal Leadership, Social Intelligence, Focus, and Altered Traits.
| Official Website
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | When emotional hijacking occurs, reason is temporarily shut down |
| Book Details | Publication Year: 1995; ISBN: 978-0553375060; Last edition: 2005; Number of pages: 352 |
| Where is it? | Chapter: The Emotional Brain, Approximate page 36 from 2005 edition |