emotional intelligence

(noun)

The ability, capacity, or skill to perceive, assess, and manage the emotions of oneself, of others, and of groups.

Related Terms

Examples of emotional intelligence in the following topics:

  • Sensitivity to Human Relations

    • Good managers have an innate sensitivity to the needs of the people they manage, and a highly developed emotional intelligence.
    • The skills required to lead from a human sensitivity perspective are often referred to as soft skills or EQ (emotional intelligence).
    • High performing managers are sensitive to the needs, emotions, perspectives ,and well-being of the individuals they are managing.
    • Integrate emotional intelligence and human resource needs into the broader field of management

  • Defining Intelligence

    • Cattell proposed two types of intelligence rather than a single general intelligence.
    • In 1990, Peter Salovey and John Mayer coined the term "emotional intelligence" and defined it as "the ability to monitor one's own and others' feelings, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one's thinking and actions. " Hendrie Weisinger also worked with theories of emotional intelligence.
    • He emphasized the significance of learning and making emotions work to improve oneself and others.
    • He documented and illustrated the positive effect emotions could have in personal settings and work environments.
    • Both emotional intelligence and social intelligence have been positively associated with good leadership skills, good interpersonal skills, positive outcomes in classroom situations, and better functioning in the world.

  • Emotional Leadership

    • According to the trait theory of leadership, some traits play a vital role in creating leaders, such as intelligence, adjustment, extroversion, conscientiousness, openness to experience, and general self-efficacy.
    • Strong emotional leadership depends on having high levels of emotional intelligence (EI).
    • Perceiving emotions represents a basic aspect of emotional intelligence, as it makes all other processing of emotional information possible.
    • Emotionally intelligent people can capitalize fully upon their changing moods according to the task at hand.
    • The emotionally intelligent person can harness emotions—even negative ones—and manage them to achieve intended goals.

  • Controversies in Intelligence and Standardized Testing

    • Intelligence tests (such as IQ tests) have always been controversial; critics claim that they measure factors other than intelligence.
    • Psychometricians have sought to make intelligence tests more culture fair and valid over the years, and to make sure that they measure g, or the "general intelligence factor" thought to underly all intelligence.
    • Again, even if intelligence scores correlate with job success, this does not mean that people with high intelligence will always be successful at work.
    • They concluded that the SAT is primarily a test of g or general intelligence.
    • As such, IQ tests are also criticized for assessing only those particular areas emphasized in the western conceptualization of intelligence, such as problem-solving, and failing to account for other areas such as creativity or emotional intelligence.

  • Tilting the Tests: Discrimination by IQ

    • IQ is meant to measure intelligence but its validity as a measure of intelligence has been debated.
    • Intelligence is commonly measured using intelligence quotient (IQ) tests, which are meant to be a general measure of intelligence.
    • However, IQ tests only measure a narrow band of the broad spectrum of intelligence, excluding factors such as creativity or emotional intelligence.
    • The connection between race and intelligence has been a subject of debate in both popular science and academic research since the inception of intelligence testing in the early twentieth century.
    • Researchers have suggested a wide array of environmental factors that might influence intelligence.

  • Theories of Multiple Intelligence

    • Theories of multiple intelligence contend that intelligence cannot be measured by a single factor.
    • Today, the most widely accepted theory of intelligence is the "three stratum theory," which recognizes that there are three different levels of intelligence, all governed by the top level, g, or general intelligence factor.
    • Gardner identified eight specific intelligences and two additional tentative ones:
    • In 1986, Robert Sternberg proposed a Triarchic Theory of intelligence.
    • If a savant such as Peek was measured by Gardner's multiple intelligence theory, he would be considered to be very gifted in a subtype of intelligence, such as linguistics.

  • The Eight Intelligences

    • Everyone is thought to possess this intelligence at some level.
    • Traditionally, Linguistic intelligence and Logical/Mathematical intelligence have been highly valued in education and learning environments.
    • Interpersonal intelligence is the ability to interpret and respond to the moods, emotions, motivations, and actions of others.
    • To exhibit strength in Intrapersonal Intelligence, an individual must be able to understand their own emotions, motivations, and be aware of their own strengths and weaknesses.
    • An individual should tap into their other intelligences to completely express their Intrapersonal Intelligence.

  • Genetic Basis of Intelligence and Learning

    • Although environment also plays an important role, genetics influence human intelligence and our capacity to learn in many ways.
    • One of the most extensively studied behavioral traits is intelligence.
    • There has been significant controversy in the academic community about the heritability of IQ, or Intelligence Quotient, which seeks to determine to what extent an individual's IQ level is influenced by genetics.
    • Recent research shows that under normal circumstances, intelligence involves multiple genes; however certain single-gene genetic disorders can severely affect intelligence.
    • It looks at what environmental, emotional and social situations are best in order for new information to be retained and stored in the brain via the linking of neurons, rather than allowing the dendrites to be reabsorbed and the information to be lost.

  • Cognitive Development in Adulthood

    • In postformal thinking, decisions are made based on situations and circumstances, and logic is integrated with emotion as adults develop principles that depend on contexts.
    • Two forms of intelligence—crystallized and fluid—are the main focus of middle adulthood.
    • This kind of intelligence tends to hold steady as we age—in fact, it may even improve.
    • For example, adults show relatively stable to increasing scores on intelligence tests until their mid-30s to mid-50s (Bayley & Oden, 1955).
    • Fluid intelligence, on the other hand, is more dependent on basic information-processing skills and starts to decline even prior to middle adulthood.

  • What is Multiple Intelligences Theory?

    • Originally, the theory accounted for seven separate intelligences.
    • Subsequently, with the publishing of Gardner's Intelligence Reframed in 1999, two more intelligences were added to the list.
    • Gardner's theory challenges traditional, narrower views of intelligence.
    • Originally, the theory accounted for seven separate intelligences.
    • Subsequently, with the publishing of Gardner's Intelligence Reframed in 1999, two more intelligences were added to the list.