What Is Emotional Intelligence: the Significance of Human Beings

Ever since I was a child I developed a great passion regarding human beings and their behaviour in all sorts of situations, no matter the context. I have always paid attention to the importance of emotions in day to day life, and I noticed in time that certain people simply seem to manage them better than others. As I am quite a sensitive person, psychology became the field of most interest to me. This is how I found out about the particular area that curiosity drove me into, the area called Emotional Intelligence. What is emotional intelligence? Within this essay I can briefly explain that EI is all about recognizing, understanding and managing our own emotions, as well as influencing the others’ emotions through these skills.

EI is different from what every person knows as IQ (standing for Intelligence Quotient). These types of intelligence, amongst others, help us humans in our day-to-day life more than we could ever imagine. But it caught my attention, the fact that not so many people have realized yet the importance of a high EI, and they seem to be stuck into the old perception: that IQ only could predict future success. Life is an inherently sociable thing, though. Without the ability to function emotionally well within this relational environment, it is difficult to tell how balanced one’s life could be. And there comes the most fascinating thing about this kind of intelligence: it can be developed through certain actions or techniques, which means that any person could manage their personal lives better or to reach a higher potential at their workplace. As far as I am concerned, EI is, above all, the essence of being human.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

In other words, Emotional intelligence (EI) is the capability of individuals to recognize their own emotions and those of others, discern between different feelings and label them appropriately, use emotional information to guide thinking and behaviour, and manage and/or adjust emotions to adapt to environments or achieve one's goal(s). The term first appeared in 1964, in a paper written by Michael Beldoch, a clinical psychologist, but it became more popular in 1995 due to a book named “Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ” written by author and science journalist Daniel Goleman.

Since then, analysis, criticism, studies and praise have followed, each based on different arguments and opinions. If we were to point out some of the underlying principles of how emotional intelligence works, the model Mayer-Salovey offers several “rules” of functioning:

1. Emotion is information and ignoring emotions does not work.
2. You may try to hide emotions but other people are able to pick them up.
3. Decisions must incorporate emotions to be effective.

When it comes to models, there are three main perspectives in which psychologists approach the EI subject: EI as a trait, EI as an ability, and a mixed model – that of Daniel Goleman- the one this project is going to focus on, due to the variety of constructs it outlines. In this area, researchers recognize five major categories of emotional intelligence skills: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.

Perhaps one of the most interesting and “optimistic” facts about EI is that it can be developed through training and experience- just like learning to play an instrument. Of course, some people simply seem to be born with the talent of reading and controlling their emotions, but in the end, it is all about personal improvement throughout the lifetime. Education, started since birth, plays a crucial role in this matter. But above all, it is not possible to learn these skills only by reading and memorizing the available literature. People that are encouraged to engage their emotional part of the brain in everything they do are the ones that better develop EI.

To have a clearer idea when it comes to what emotional intelligence is positively correlated with, and why it is so important and widely used, here is what a review published in the journal of Annual Psychology found:

• Better social relations for children – Among children and teens, emotional intelligence positively correlates with good social interactions, relationships and negatively correlates with deviance from social norms, anti-social behaviour measured both in and out of school.
• Better social relations for adults – Highly emotional-intelligent adults have a better self-perception of social ability and their interpersonal relationships are more successful. This leads to less interpersonal aggression and problems.
• Individuals with high EI are perceived more positively by others – Other individuals perceive these people as being more pleasant, socially skilled and empathic.
• Better family and intimate relationships – High EI is correlated with better relationships with the family and intimate partners on many aspects.
• Better academic achievement – Meaning that EI is correlated with greater achievement in academics as reported by teachers but generally not necessarily higher grades once the factor of IQ is taken into account.
• Better social relations during work performance and in negotiations – People who have EI skills, usually have better social dynamics at work as well as better negotiating ability.
• Better psychological well-being - EI is positively correlated with higher life satisfaction, self-esteem and lower levels of insecurity or depression. It is also negatively correlated with poor health choices and behavior.
• Allows for self-compassion - Emotionally intelligent individuals are more likely to have a better understanding of themselves, and to make conscious decisions based on emotion and rationale combined. Overall, it leads a person to self-actualization.

Conclusion

Sounds great, isn’t it? Who wouldn’t want to be this fulfilled in so many areas of their lives? High levels of EI are widely searched for, especially when it comes to the recruitment stage, after applying for a certain job. Some diplomas that prove someone’s academic achievements and, possibly, their IQ level, are not enough for any employer nowadays. Indeed, these certificates or results are easier to approach due to their exact dates and numbers, but truth is, there are just a few employers who actually see this as a crucial factor when hiring. As expected, the emotional skills (so-called “soft skills”) can matter more, as Daniel Goleman himself put it.