WHAT IS ‘EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE’ (EQ)?

The term EMOTIONAL- INTELLIGENCE may apparently look like fusion of two contradictory terms coming together. In fact it is how intelligently you use the information you get from your Emotions & Feelings, & those of others, for happy & healthy life . In the past, emotions have been considered as private preserve of poets, musicians,actors, playwrights etc . For a large part of last many centuries, common thought was, “ Our emotions are in the way. They keep us from making good decisions, and they keep us from focusing.” However, in the last three decades, a growing body of research is proving just the opposite.

Let us start by defining the first part of the term emotional intelligence (ie. emotion)

In last three decades all over the world there has been an explosion-of-knowledge about nature, origin, & importance of ‘EMOTIONS’. Various researchers have done studies about Emotions & have defined EMOTIONS differently. Traditionaly emotions were thought to be “Disorganised responses or interruptions of mental activity”, Psychologist Young defined them as “acute disturbance(s) of the individual as a whole.But the most researchers view emotions as "organized responses that adaptively focus cognitive activities & subsequent actions." Psychologist Leeper has suggested that emotions are “processes which arouse, sustain & direct activities”.According to Yale psychologist Peter Salovey “Emotions are organized responses which typically arise in response to an event , either internal or external that has positively or negatively valenced meaning for the individual”. Psychologist from New Hampshire John Meyer & Peter Salovey suggested ‘Organized response of emotions as adaptive & as something that can potentially lead to a transformation of personal & social interaction into enriching experience”

The term ‘Emotion’ comes from Latin word e-motere meaning ‘ to move.’ In the sense, organized responses which influence action or interaction are ‘EMOTIONS’.Scientific research has shown enormous progress in this field. Scientist have come to conclusion that Emotions are in the form of Electro-chemical Reactions.

Psychologist have suggested that Emotions help us gather,organize, prioritize, recall & process information which is essential to both health & happiness.Emotions are like WAKE-UP-CALL which give us information when our needs are unmet.

We personally feel emotions are in the form of ‘INTERNAL ENERGY WAVES’ (POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE) produced in body milieu in response to certain event or situation which if not properly dealt with may get disorganized & ultimately affect health.

Let us now start defining the second part of the term emotional intelligence (i.e. Intelligence)

The term ‘ EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE’ (EI) was first coined by Psychologist Peter Salovey ( Univ.Of Yale) & John Meyer (Univ. Of New Hampshire) way back in 1990. They first confirmed that the concept of Emotional intelligence fits within boundaries of conceptual definition of Intelligence mentioned above . They defined it as "It is the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships." (Article 1990)
The term EQ (Emotional Quotient) was first coined by Reuvon BarOn in 1997 as measure of ‘Emotional Intelligence’.

Various models of EI have been developed in last 15 years based on this basic concept.

Various models of EI :-

1) Mayer & Salovey Four Branch Model of Emotional Intelligence :

  The Four Branch Model of Emotional Intelligence proposed by Mayer & Salovey in   1997 states that emotional intelligence essentially consists of four distinct qualities   and their subgroups

I. Emotional Perception and Expression

• Ability to identify emotion in one's physical and psychological states
• Ability to identify emotion in other people
• Ability to express emotions accurately and to express needs related to them.
• Ability to discriminate between accurate/honest and inaccurate/dishonest feelings

II. Emotional Facilitation of Thought (Using Emotional Intelligence)

• Ability to redirect and prioritize thinking on the basis of associated feelings
• Ability to generate emotions to facilitate judgment and memory
• Ability to capitalize on mood changes to appreciate multiple points of view
• Ability to use emotional states to facilitate problem-solving and creativity

III. Emotional Understanding

• Ability to understand relationships among various emotions
• Ability to perceive the causes and consequences of emotions
• Ability to understand complex feelings, emotional blends, and contradictory states
• Ability to understand transitions among emotions

IV. Emotional Management

• Ability to be open to feelings, both pleasant and unpleasant
• Ability to monitor and reflect on emotions
• Ability to engage, prolong, or detach from an emotional state
• Ability to manage emotions in onself
• Ability to manage emotions in others

To summarize, they described EI in the form of four areas as follows:

The first, Emotional Perception, involves such abilities as identifying emotions in faces, music, and stories.

The second, Emotional Facilitation of Thought, involves such abilities as relating emotions to other mental sensations such as taste and color (relations that might be employed in artwork), and using emotion in reasoning and problem solving. (Also: "integrating emotions in thought," Mayer and Cobb)

The third area, Emotional Understanding involves solving emotional problems such as knowing which emotions are similar, or opposites, and what relations they convey.

The fourth area, Emotional Management involves understanding the implications of social acts on emotions and the regulation of emotion in self and others.

2) Six Seconds' model of Emotional Intellignce:

(Six Second's is a non-profit organisation based at San Mateo, California, USA doing research and training in emotional intelligence)

Know Yourself:

• Build emotional literacy
• Recognize patterns

Choose Yourself:

• Evaluate and re-choose
• Apply consequential thinking
• Engage intrinsic motivation
• Increase optimism

Give Yourself:

• Create empathy
• Commit to noble goals

3) Bar-On’s Model of Emotional Competence:

Bar-On’s definition is: “Emotional intelligence is an array of noncognitive capabilities, competencies, and skills that influence one’s ability to succeed in coping with environmental demands and pressures.”

These emotional skills are classified as

• INTRAPERSONAL:
• Emotional Self Awareness
• Assertiveness
• Self Regard
• Self Actualisation
• Independence
• INTERPERSONAL:
• Empathy
• Interpersonal Relationship
• Social Responsibility
• ADAPTABILITY:
• Problem Solving
• Reality Testing
• Flexibility
• STRESS MANAGEMENT :
• Stress Tolerance
• Impulse Control
• GENERAL MOOD:
  • Happiness
  • Optimism

‘EQuip Kids’ Definition of Emotional intelligence :

‘Emotional Intelligence (EQ)’ is the "ability to understand, express and manage ones feelings and those of others, and to use this information to guide you to get along in life, think & act with a choice, make better decisions, think more creatively, prioritize, motivate yourself and others,Increase optimism and in general enjoy better health".

Team Equip Kids