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.
Share Image Quote:At its core, this quote means that intense emotion can literally override your brain’s capacity for rational thought. It’s a system shutdown.
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.
| 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) |
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.
| 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) |
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
| 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 |
In the book, Goleman uses this idea to build his entire case for why we need to cultivate emotional intelligence. He’s explaining why super smart, high-IQ people can still make disastrous life choices—because when emotions run high, raw intelligence gets sidelined. It’s the foundation for everything that follows about self-awareness and self-management.
This is one of those concepts that’s incredibly practical once you get it. I use it all the time.
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Theme | Facts (121) |
| Audiences | leaders (2619), psychologists (197), students (3111), teachers (1125) |
| Usage Context/Scenario | emotional intelligence lessons (5), mental health workshops (13), psychology classes (24), stress management talks (4) |
Question: Is this an excuse for bad behavior?
Answer: Absolutely not. It’s an explanation, not an excuse. The whole point of learning about it is to take responsibility for recognizing the hijack and managing your response.
Question: Can you stop an emotional hijacking once it starts?
Answer: You can’t stop the initial surge of emotion—that’s automatic. But you can learn to hit the pause button before you act on it. A deep breath, counting to ten, physically leaving the room—these are all ways to create space for your prefrontal cortex to re-engage.
Question: Are some people more prone to this than others?
Answer: 100%. People with high neuroticism or past trauma can have a more sensitive amygdala, meaning their alarm system goes off more easily. But the good news is, everyone can get better at managing it with practice.
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