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Emotional intelligence

Origins

How emotional intelligence was named, dated and argued — a history of claims, not a verdict on a child.

At a glance
Timeline

Milestones in order. This is history, not a weekly activity grid.

1872 Darwin’s Expression1990 Salovey & Mayer paper1995 Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence1997 Bar-On EQ-i2002– MSCEIT1994– Damasio’s Descartes’ Error era2006– Waterhouse-type critiques of related fashions2017 Barrett’s How Emotions Are Made2010s SEL in schools2020s Workplace EQ procurement
  1. Darwin’s Expression
  2. Salovey & Mayer paper
  3. Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence
  4. Bar-On EQ-i
  5. MSCEIT
  6. Damasio’s Descartes’ Error era
  7. Waterhouse-type critiques of related fashions
  8. Barrett’s How Emotions Are Made
  9. SEL in schools
  10. Workplace EQ procurement
Score intensity

Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.

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Quick answers

Does this atlas rank groups by IQ, race or nation?

No. Pathways and evidence stay individual. Scores are browsing aids — never group biological or racial ranks.

Is EQ a second IQ?

Not in the ability model’s careful versions. Mixed models that predict “success” with everything from optimism to politics are the overclaim. g still organises cognitive batteries; EI is a different bet.

What did Goleman change?

Audience and scope. He mixed ability with social competencies and workplace stories. Useful as popularisation; sloppy as measurement.

Do programmes work?

Emotion-labelling and regulation drills can move some behaviours. Branded EQ curricula vary. Size is usually modest — treat like growth-mindset humility, not a miracle.

Bar-On versus Mayer–Salovey?

Bar-On’s EQ-i is a mixed/trait-leaning inventory. MSCEIT tries to be an ability test. They do not measure one thing.

Did Darwin start this?

The Expression of the Emotions (1872) is an ancestor of emotion science, not an EI test.

PracticeMyths

Start with this section - Origins

Salovey and Mayer named an ability. Goleman’s book and a consulting industry named a product. Emotion science (Darwin, James, later Barrett and Damasio) is older and stricter.

The timeline below follows dated arguments and institutions, not a national myth of genius and not a group ranking.

Origin

1990–1995 · Yale / New Hampshire / global business — Salovey and Mayer named an ability. Goleman’s book and a consulting industry named a product. Emotion science (Darwin, James, later Barrett and Damasio) is older and stricter.

Timeline

  1. Darwin’s Expression

    Comparative emotion as a science ancestor.

  2. Salovey & Mayer paper

    EI as a mental ability with branches.

  3. Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence

    The boom and the broadening.

  4. Bar-On EQ-i

    A mixed inventory that many workplaces bought.

  5. MSCEIT

    An ability-test attempt with scoring debates.

  6. Damasio’s Descartes’ Error era

    Somatic markers — emotion in decision, not a workplace quiz.

  7. Waterhouse-type critiques of related fashions

    Keep EI from becoming another unmeasured school IQ.

  8. Barrett’s How Emotions Are Made

    Constructed emotion as a challenge to simple face-to-feeling tests.

  9. SEL in schools

    A policy export; fidelity and measurement uneven.

  10. Workplace EQ procurement

    HR as the main identification theatre — halo included.

Eras

Shifts

Emotional intelligence: keep the dates visible. Names of talents are younger than the work they try to capture.

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