Abstract
Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to perceive, use, understand, and regulate emotions. Higher scores on this ability measured through performance tests (but no through self-reports) appears to be related to better performance on “hot” (emotionally laden) cognitive tasks. However, there are relatively few studies concerning how EI may benefit the working memory capacity (WMC). Thus, the objective of this study is to analyse the relationship between EI (as measured through a performance-based ability test, a self-report mixed test, and a self-report ability test) and the WMC during the performance of hot and “cool” (i.e., non-emotionally laden) “2-back” tasks. 203 participants completed three EI tests as well as two 2-back tasks. The results provide evidence for better performance of higher EI participants (specifically in the managing branch) measured through the performance-based ability test, but only on the hot task. For the self-report mixed model, incongruent results were found, and no correlations were obtained using the self-report ability model. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the validity of the various EI models.
Highlights
Emotional intelligence (EI) following the most relevant scientific model[1] (p. 10) is defined as ‘... the ability to perceive accurately, appraise, and express emotion; the ability to access and/or generate feelings when they facilitate thought; the ability to understand emotion and emotional knowledge; and the ability to regulate emotions to promote emotional and intellectual growth’
In an attempt to organize this EI literature, Joseph & Newman[2] proposed three models of EI which can be distinguished by virtue of the type of instrument employed for assessing the construct: the performance-based ability model, the self-report ability model and the self-report mixed model
These authors divided the results according to two variables: the EI model employed in the study and the nature of the stimuli used in the cognitive task
Summary
Emotional intelligence (EI) following the most relevant scientific model[1] (p. 10) is defined as ‘... the ability to perceive accurately, appraise, and express emotion; the ability to access and/or generate feelings when they facilitate thought; the ability to understand emotion and emotional knowledge; and the ability to regulate emotions to promote emotional and intellectual growth’. The self-report ability model views EI as a form of intelligence as well as a group of emotional aptitudes This model evaluates EI through self-report instruments where there are no correct and incorrect responses, but instead focuses on the subjective belief of the individual. The self-report mixed model views EI as a wider construct that includes motivations, personality factors, social skills and empathy This model employs self-report instruments such as the “Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory” (EQi)[5]. These authors divided the results according to two variables: the EI model employed in the study (performance-based ability model, self-report ability model and the self-report mixed model) and the nature of the stimuli used in the cognitive task (hot or emotionally laden and cool or non-emotionally laden). The second limitation is that given the lack of studies, all the cognitive processes (attention, decision making, memory, etc.) have been analysed together, and it is possible that each may be influenced by EI in a different manner, confounding the results and possible conclusions
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