<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazimierz_D%C4%85browski" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Kazimierz Dąbrowski</a>, in his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_disintegration" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Positive disintegration</a> theory talks about <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overexcitability" rel="nofollow noreferrer">overexcitability</a> as the most evident aspect of developmental potential. He distinguishes five types of overexcitabilties: psychomotor, sensual, intellectual, imaginational and emotional. The emotional excitability, according to the Wikipedia </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>is characterised by heightened, intense feelings, extreme experience
  of complex emotions, identification with others' feelings to the point
  of actual experience and strong sentimental expression</p>
</blockquote>

<p>These overexcitabilities tend to be present to different extents in gifted people, so it seems reasonable to think that in this case, a deeper capability of feeling emotions is linked to a higher intellectual intelligence.</p>

<p>Does this also happen in the wild? Are there any studies that not only establish the intellectual development of the species that surround us, but also their capability to feel emotions, and any correlation between that?</p>

<p>Ultimately, is intellectual intelligence development associated to emotional development? Are emotions <strong>needed</strong> to develop intellectual intelligence in a species?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-23T11:58:12.923Z
Welcome to Psychology.SE.  Can you please define what definition of intelligence is required here.  For example, there is intelligence measured by IQ and there is [emotional intelligence (EQ)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence)
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-23T12:02:54.687Z
Agree—difficult to resolve the current questions without defining intelligence further. Excitability was explained clearly. It may be worth considering why emotions exist, separate from their relationship to specific types of cognitive performance.
Cameron Brick
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-23T12:02:58.337Z
Thanks! I've tried to clarify the question talking about intellectual intelligence rather than just plain intelligence.
José González
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-23T12:09:58.153Z
@CameronBrick Completely agree about considering why emotions exist. With my limited knowledge about this I tend to think that intellectual intelligence is our navigation system, while emotions are our engine: intelligence wouldn't take us anywhere without the desire to be anywhere else. Maybe it's worth to create another question about this :)
José González
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-23T12:14:11.513Z
Broadly I agree with that characterization.
Cameron Brick
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-23T15:01:44.673Z
_"intelligence is our navigation system, while emotions are our engine"_ I love that analogy! Might be stealing it. ;p
Steven Jeuris
<emotion><intelligence><evolution><emotional-intelligence>
Is a deeper capability of feeling emotions linked to a higher intellectual intelligence?
José González
# Is a deeper capability of feeling emotions linked to a higher intellectual intelligence?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-05-23)

[Kazimierz Dąbrowski](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazimierz_D%C4%85browski), in his [Positive disintegration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_disintegration) theory talks about [overexcitability](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overexcitability) as the most evident aspect of developmental potential. He distinguishes five types of overexcitabilties: psychomotor, sensual, intellectual, imaginational and emotional. The emotional excitability, according to the Wikipedia

> is characterised by heightened, intense feelings, extreme experience
> of complex emotions, identification with others' feelings to the point
> of actual experience and strong sentimental expression

These overexcitabilities tend to be present to different extents in gifted people, so it seems reasonable to think that in this case, a deeper capability of feeling emotions is linked to a higher intellectual intelligence.

Does this also happen in the wild? Are there any studies that not only establish the intellectual development of the species that surround us, but also their capability to feel emotions, and any correlation between that?

Ultimately, is intellectual intelligence development associated to emotional development? Are emotions **needed** to develop intellectual intelligence in a species?

**Tags:** emotion, intelligence, evolution, emotional-intelligence

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome to Psychology.SE.  Can you please define what definition of intelligence is required here.  For example, there is intelligence measured by IQ and there is [emotional intelligence (EQ)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence)  
> **username_2**: Agree—difficult to resolve the current questions without defining intelligence further. Excitability was explained clearly. It may be worth considering why emotions exist, separate from their relationship to specific types of cognitive performance.  
> **username_0**: Thanks! I've tried to clarify the question talking about intellectual intelligence rather than just plain intelligence.  
> **username_0**: @CameronBrick Completely agree about considering why emotions exist. With my limited knowledge about this I tend to think that intellectual intelligence is our navigation system, while emotions are our engine: intelligence wouldn't take us anywhere without the desire to be anywhere else. Maybe it's worth to create another question about this :)  
> **username_2**: Broadly I agree with that characterization.  
> **username_3**: _"intelligence is our navigation system, while emotions are our engine"_ I love that analogy! Might be stealing it. ;p  

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## 0 answers

