Wiser reasoning appeared in conjunction with greater (vs. lower) emotionality, especially the recognition of a greater number of present emotions and greater balance of intensity across experienced emotions

Grossmann, Igor, and Harrison Oakes. 2017. “Wisdom of Yoda and Mr. Spock: The Role of Emotions and the Self”. PsyArXiv. December 21. psyarxiv.com/jy5em

Abstract: A distanced perspective and downregulated emotions are commonly viewed as central to wiser reflection on adverse experiences. The latter belief stands in contrast to the possibility that recognizing and balancing emotional diversity conveys critical insights for navigating adversity. A series of experiments (N=1,574) addressed these hypotheses, examining how wise reasoning about experienced interpersonal conflict related to presence, intensity, and balance of emotions, experimentally varying participants’ perspective (3rd- vs. 1st-person). Across the studies, including pre-registered direct replications, a 3rd- (vs. 1st-) person perspective led to wiser reasoning. Notably, wiser reasoning appeared in conjunction with greater (vs. lower) emotionality, especially the recognition of a greater number of present emotions and greater balance of intensity across experienced emotions. Together, these results demonstrate wisdom boosts in the face of experienced adversity, simultaneously suggesting that wisdom does not require the elimination of emotions. Instead, wise reflection benefits from a rich and balanced emotional life.