Relationship between Ability-Based Emotional Intelligence, Cognitive Intelligence, and Job Performance

Nhu Ngoc Nguyen,Phong Tuan Nham,Yoshi Takahashi

doi:10.3390/su11082299

Abstract

Based on previous findings, which found that the three facets of ability-based emotional intelligence (EI) have varying effects on job performance, this study investigates the relationship between emotional intelligence, cognitive intelligence (CI), and job performance. The use of a cascade model suggests a progressive pattern, starting from emotion perception, followed by emotional understanding and emotion regulation, with downstream effects on job performance. Considering the advantages and disadvantages of both measurements, we employed the performance-based ability measurement, the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) and the self-reporting ability EI measurement, Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS). Our findings supported the cascade model, but in the case of WLEIS measures, both self-emotion appraisal and others’ emotion appraisal precede emotion regulation, leading to a positive effect on job performance. Moreover, CI moderated the relationship between EI and job performance, such that a decline in CI rendered the relationship more positive. The MSCEIT and WLEIS showed similar results, thus supporting the cascading model and moderating effects.

Highlights

Emotional intelligence (EI) has become a major emerging research area in psychological, organizational, and educational fields
Hypothesis 5 was supported by the significant results obtained in the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) (β = −0.201 (95%cognitive intelligence (CI): −0.352–−0.063)) and Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS) (β = −0.196 (95%CI: −0.395–−0.009))
Based on the interaction plot (Figure 3), the results revealed that the relationship is stronger when CI decreases

Summary

Introduction

Emotional intelligence (EI) has become a major emerging research area in psychological, organizational, and educational fields. The findings supported Joseph and Newman’s [7] cascading meta-analytic model, in which the EI facets follow a progressive pattern (i.e., starting with emotion perception, and followed by emotion understanding and conscious emotion regulation) to explain job performance. This model proposed that among four aspects of EI, emotion regulation played the most important role in determining job performance, and there were no direct effects from emotion perception and emotion understanding on job performance. The cascading model, which has deconstructed EI into independent dimensions to evaluate its effect on job performance, has been advocated in the literature

Results

Discussion

Conclusion