Why Smart People Make Dumb Emotional Decisions

Why do intelligent, high-functioning people so often make emotionally reckless or baffling decisions? In this episode, Professor RJ Starr unpacks the psychological gap between intellectual intelligence (IQ) and emotional maturity (EQ), exploring why insight alone isn’t enough to navigate relationships, conflict, or inner life.

Drawing on foundational psychological theories—including Daniel Goleman’s emotional intelligence framework, Kahneman’s dual-process theory, Rotter’s locus of control, and Carol Dweck’s mindset research—this episode takes you deep into the emotional blind spots of brilliance. From overanalyzing to avoid feeling, to using intellect as a defense against vulnerability, we explore the hidden cost of living entirely in your head.

Through compelling stories, case examples, and real-world observations, you’ll learn why self-awareness doesn’t always lead to emotional growth, how analysis can become avoidance, and what it truly means to become emotionally whole.

Whether you’re a high achiever, a chronic overthinker, or simply someone trying to understand your own inner contradictions—this episode offers clarity, warmth, and a pathway to integration.

Keywords: emotional intelligence, psychology podcast, emotional maturity, EQ vs IQ, self-awareness, overthinking, Daniel Kahneman, emotional regulation, Daniel Goleman, cognitive intelligence, emotional avoidance, psychological growth, emotional self-awareness, mindset theory, The Psychology of Us