Can Emotional Intelligence Be Measured

Abstract

Lord Kelvin’s often-cited quote, which has been used to highlight the importance of accurate measurement in many different fields, pro­ vides a cautious perspective with which to begin a chapter examining the measurement of a relatively new and controversial construct such as emotional intelligence. Interest in emotional intelligence (EI) has increased substantially over the last decade, but a few researchers have raised questions about the adequacy of EI measures (e.g., Matthews, Zeidner, & Roberts, 2002). Although some practitioners have been quite optimistic about the importance of EI in organiza­ tions, critical questions remain about the concept, theory, and mea-This paper reviews and critiques EI measures, which vary widely in both their content and their method of assessment. First, the mea­ surement and psychometric properties of six prominent EI measures (Emotional Competence Inventory, Emotional Quotient Inventory, Wong and Law EI Scale, Emotional Intelligence Scale, Multifactor Emotional Intelligence Scale, Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intel­ ligence Test) are considered. These six measures were chosen be­ cause they have received the most attention by emotional intelligence researchers and consultants. The strategies used to measure EI can be broken down into personality-based and ability-based ap­ proaches. These approaches result in different conceptualizations of EI as well as very different measures. Personality-based EI measures are discussed first, and then ability-based EI measures are examined. Table 3.1 shows basic information about each of the measures, which are described in more detail below. Second, the EI measures are com­ pared and examined in light of their reliability and validity evidence. Third, this chapter addresses measurement issues related to the struggle between the science and marketing of EI. Fourth, recent meta-analyses on EI are examined, and some conclusions and sugges­ tions for future research on EI measures are provided.