Developing Socio-Emotional Intelligence

Abstract

This chapter provides a theoretical perspective of the importance of social interaction on people’s wellbeing. It then explores the positive impact of social interactions and how the brain is indeed social and thrives in a nurturing environment. This chapter provides examples of children who have been severely neglected and the consequences that this can have in their overall development, making a case for the importance of developing social bonds. The chapter then focuses on the scholars’ views of how to develop socio-emotional intelligence, first in general and then within the context of a higher education environment. Based on these findings, a series of strategies that can be applied to include spaces within the curriculum to support students in developing their socio-emotional intelligence are presented.