There’s more to thinking than the intellect

Emotion is commonly seen as sand in the working of the intellect, an impediment to clear thinking, an unwelcome distrac­tion. But, there is no thought without emotion and often there is a partnership which is harmonious. Contrary to popular belief, the emotions are not inherently irrational and are even essential in certain kinds of purposeful thought. Instead of ignoring them, they need to be managed to increase the likelihood that the intellect-emotion partnership will be productive. Research on thinking processes generally ignores the role of moods and emotions, yet it is a central variable which needs to be considered, if not controlled. Teaching focuses on exercising the intellect and generally turns a blind eye to the obvious role of emotions in thinking and learning, yet, with forethought, moods and emotions could be put to good use. There’s more to thinking than the intellect, describes the origins of moods and emotions, how they interact with purposeful thought, and their absence in educational research and classroom planning