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“She’s very much EQ for my IQ, if you know what I’m saying.” – Walter O’Brien, Scorpion
The EQ versus IQ concept is not new to the psychological world. The EQ, or emotional quotient is the psychological yang to the IQ. IQ is associated with intelligence and in the case of the TV show Scorpion, a sterility that seemingly distances itself from EQ. Studies show IQ comes from a combination of both genetics and environment. It is possible to increase your IQ in a similar way to increasing muscle mass in the rest of your body – brain exercises. If you want long-term improvements to both IQ and your biceps, you have to repeat those exercises throughout your life. Because IQ is determined by a test, the “You have it or you don’t” adds to the idea that IQ can be a bit out of relatable reach. MENSA membership isn’t dependent on a persuasive application essay or a membership fee.
We all have a balance of EQ and IQ. In contrast to IQ, EQ is, according to Talentsmart.com, the “other kind of smart” and is integral to success. Talentsmart says you can be a “top performer without emotional intelligence, but the chances are slim.” They link studies of workers with high emotional intelligence to making an average of almost $30,000 more per year than someone with just a high IQ.
EQ versus IQ is an oft-mentioned dichotomy by the TV show Scorpion. Debuting in 2014, the show features a team of geniuses and a non-genius. The non-genius, labelled as “normal,” works to help the geniuses weave EQ with their IQ-driven lives. This “normal” assistant carries the heart of the show. One of the geniuses expresses a wide array of emotions but is unable to manage them, unlike his IQ, which he wields without hesitation. There’s a Harvard-trained psychologist who understands and evaluates emotions but is too brash and seemingly immature to manage his own emotions and actions.
A simple question from my Harry Potter-reading daughter made me rethink my EQ to IQ ratio. After reading Hogwarts house descriptions, she asks where I would be sorted. After she determines the location of the rest of our family members – one in each house, interestingly – she stops at me. “Where would you be, Mom?”
“I’d put you in Gryffindor with me…” she said. I consider her idea and think I’d probably have to cajole the Sorting Hat to get myself into my daughter’s house of preference. “I’d be in Ravenclaw, right?” She reads that house’s description again and then moved to the Hufflepuff creed. “You could go to either of those, Mom,” she says kindly. “Hufflepuff,” says her brother. “No question.”
Being a longtime Harry Potter fan, I wasn’t ready to take the Hufflepuff badger as my mascot just yet. I saw myself carrying the blue and bronze banner for the house of intelligence, wisdom and creativity. Hufflepuffs just seem so…EQ. But what would be wrong with that? Of course, my kids would sort me into Hufflepuff – house of dedication, hard work, fair play…that’s what I work on with my kids everyday. Are all the moms sorted into Hufflepuff? My high-school-high-grade-seeking self fought the idea.
In another conversation with a friend, this time a grown-up, he mentioned that he was working on being better with relationships. “Oh,” I said. “You want to up your EQ.” He thought for a moment and laughed. “Yeah, I guess so. It’s getting better,” he said. “I want to learn another instrument,” I said. “You know, add some IQ to my EQ.” He paused even longer this time before saying, “Yeah, good luck with that.”
