One wonders, in fact, of the percentage of behavior that derives from rational calculation versus from this spontaneous, unmeasureable, impulsive quality of the human condition. For a number of reasons, the study of emotions has become one of the hottest research areas in social psychology. Such was not always the case. These natural events, occurring involuntarily, supposedly remained outside of the realms of intelligence, language, culture, and of free will. But these feeling states were not about to be so easily explained away.
Emotions have the power to override even the most rational decisions.
Este Armstrong et al. Recent research indicates that we are emotionally hardwired in such a way that by fashioning the correct facial expression for a particular emotion one can activate the centers of the brain and actually produce the affective state. There is evidence suggesting that EQ, emotional intelligence, and not IQ is the key to success. One wonders what the relationship is between individuals' EQ and the number of auto accidents they've been involved in. Anyway, recognition of this self facet has given rise to the emotional literacy movement.