The Influence of Competitive Personality Orientation on Adolescent Emotional Intelligence

Kristi S Lekies,Nicholas Harrod,Scott D Scheer

doi:10.5195/jyd.2012.136

Abstract

Emotional intelligence (EI) is related to life success and everyday social interactions. The extent to which competitive personality orientation (CPO) may influence emotional intelligence among adolescents is unknown. The objective of this investigation was to determine the relationship between adolescent competitive personality orientation and emotional intelligence and if competitive personality orientation predicts emotional intelligence while controlling for demographic variables. Participants were 200 students (91 females, 109 males, M age=17.24 years) from three Midwestern high schools. An inverse relationship was discovered between competitive personality orientation and emotional intelligence. Higher competitiveness was associated with lower levels of EI and this relationship was maintained when demographic variables were statistically controlled. As well, females scored significantly higher for EI and lower for competitive orientation than males. The findings potentially have implications for youth organizations to consider the level of emphasis placed on competitive programming and for including activities whereby youth work cooperatively with each other for promoting EI development.

Highlights

There has long been a need to understand why individuals similar in intellectual cognitive ability differ in being successful at life
Correlation analysis was conducted in order to determine relationships between emotional intelligence and competitive personality orientation
The demographic variables and measure of competitive personality orientation (CPO) were used as independent variables in a regression model with emotional intelligence (EI) as the dependent variable

Summary

Introduction

There has long been a need to understand why individuals similar in intellectual cognitive ability differ in being successful at life (i.e., work, relationships, income, etc.). Do particular personality orientations influence emotional intelligence (EI) development? Underlying these questions about EI is whether competitive personality orientation (CPO) may contribute to the formation of EI or put individuals at risk for lacking emotional life skills. Emotional intelligence has been defined in a number of ways. EI has been identified as the ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and actions (Salovey & Mayer, 1990). It means the ability to perceive, use, understand, and manage emotions (Mayer & Salovey, 1997; Salovey & Grewal, 2005)

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Discussion

Conclusion