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Harry Potter and The Intelligence of Emotion July 28, 2005
Speaking of Harry Potter, this kind of made my mind boggle. TalentSmart, a company specializing in leadership and employee assessment, wrote a white paper about the different displays of Emotional Intelligence in the Harry Potter books. It describes one dramatic exchange between Harry, Ron, and Hermione, then shares the following wisdom:
I still can't figure out if this is silly or a brilliant move to bring one part of I/O psychology closer to the masses (and market your product in the meantime). But at any rate, wonder if examining emotional intelligence in the context of a pissed off teenage wizard is the kind of thing that will rack up the credibility for a construct that's already kind in a lot of people's "iffy" column.Let's stop here a moment and notice that Ron is highly disconcerted by Harry's suggestion and Hermione feels anxious. Harry's friends know him well enough to realize that something major is upsetting him. Harry jumps to the conclusion that their respected schoolmaster has doubts about him. In response, Ron focuses on Harry with "don't be stupid," while Hermione focuses away from Harry on to Dumbledore: "Of course he doesn't think that!"
Those familiar with the story know what happens next: Harry becomes intensely bitter and shouts at his classmates. They are left to watch his frustration "pouring out of him, his frustration and lack of news, the hurt that they had all been together without him." Once Harry's feelings burst out this way, there is nothing to hold them back. A painful summer cumulates in an emotional explosion directed at his schoolmates."
Then again, this is a company that offers a pop culture fueled training film called BRAINS! apparently for use in teaching zombies about the wonders of emotional intelligence. I'm so confused.
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I/O Psychology
Tags: Emotional Intelligence, J. K. Rowling, Zombie
