What We Know about Emotional Intelligence: How It Affects Learning, Work, Relationships, and Our Mental Health (MIT Press)

Emotional intelligence (or EI)—the ability to perceive, regulate, and communicate emotions, to understand emotions in ourselves and others—has been the subject of best-selling books, magazine cover stories, and countless media mentions. It has been touted as a solution for problems ranging from relationship issues to the inadequacies of local schools. But the media hype has far outpaced the scientific research on emotional intelligence. In What We Know about Emotional Intelligence, three experts who are actively involved in research into EI offer a state-of-the-art account of EI in theory and practice. They tell us what we know about EI based not on anecdote or wishful thinking but on science. EI promises a new means for achieving success and personal happiness. Coaches and consultants offer EI training and administer EQ tests—despite the lack of any agreement on how to measure EI, the usefulness of testing for EI, and even how to define EI. What We Know about Emotional Intelligence looks at current knowledge about EI with the goal of translating it into practical recommendations in work, school, social, and psychological contexts. The authors discuss what is (and what isn't) EI, why the concept has such appeal today, how EI develops, and the usefulness of EI in the real world—in school curricula, the workplace, and treating psychological dysfunction. Also by the authors: Emotional Intelligence: Science and Myth (MIT Press) Emotional intelligence (or EI)--the ability to perceive, regulate, and communicate emotions, to understand emotions in ourselves and others--has been the subject of best-selling books, magazine cover stories, and countless media mentions. It has been touted as a solution for problems ranging from relationship issues to the inadequacies of local schools. But the media hype has far outpaced the scientific research on emotional intelligence. In "What We Know about Emotional Intelligence," three experts who are actively involved in research into ei offer a state-of-the-art account of ei in theory and practice. They tell us what we know about ei based not on anecdote or wishful thinking but on science. Ei promises a new means for achieving success and personal happiness. Coaches and consultants offer ei training and administer eq tests--despite the lack of any agreement on how to measure ei, the usefulness of testing for ei, and even how to define ei. "What We Know about Emotional Intelligence" looks at current knowledge about ei with the goal of translating it into practical recommendations in work, school, social, and psychological contexts. The authors discuss what is (and what isn't) ei, why the concept has such appeal today, how ei develops, and the usefulness of ei in the real world--in school curricula, the workplace, and treating psychological dysfunction. The table of contents presents the following sections: (1) Introducing Emotional Intelligence; (2) Emotional Intelligence: a New Construct?; (3) Emotional Intelligence Observed; (4) Emotional Intelligence in Action; and (5) Emotional Intelligence Revisited. [The forward was written by James Averill.] Emotional intelligence (or E.I.) is the ability to perceive, regulate, and communicate emotions, to understand emotions in ourselves and others. It has been the subject of best-selling books, magazine cover stories, and countless media mentions. It has been touted as a solution for problems ranging from relationship issues to the inadequacies of local schools. But the media hype has far outpaced the scientific research on emotional intelligence. In this book about emotional intelligence, three experts who are actively involved in research into E.I. offer a state of the art account of E.I. in theory and practice. They tell us what we know about E.I. based not on anecdote or wishful thinking but on science. E.I. promises a new means for achieving success and personal happiness. Coaches and consultants offer E.I. training and administer E.Q. tests, despite the lack of any agreement on how to measure E.I., the usefulness of testing for E.I., and even how to define E.I. This book looks at current knowledge about E.I. with the goal of translating it into practical recommendations in work, school, social, and psychological contexts. The authors discuss what is (and what isn't) E.I., why the concept has such appeal today, how E.I. develops, and the usefulness of E.I. in the real world, in school curricula, the workplace, and treating psychological dysfunction. Contents......Page 8 Foreword......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 Acknowledgments......Page 18 I INTRODUCING . . . EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE......Page 22 1 Emotional Intelligence: Mapping out the Terrain......Page 24 II EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: A NEW CONSTRUCT?......Page 56 2 Measure for Emotional Intelligence Measures......Page 58 3 The Intelligence in Emotional Intelligence......Page 88 4 The Personality in Emotional Intelligence......Page 124 III EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE OBSERVED......Page 160 5 Developing Emotional Intelligence: From Birth to Earth......Page 162 6 How Social Is Emotional Intelligence?......Page 190 7 Grace under Pressure? Emotional Intelligence, Stress, andCoping......Page 224 IV EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN ACTION......Page 244 8 Schooling Emotional Intelligence......Page 246 9 Work and Emotional Intelligence......Page 274 10 Emotional Intelligence and the Toxic Work Environment......Page 304 11 Emotional Intelligence in the Clinic......Page 326 V EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE . . . REVISITED......Page 360 12 Emotional Intelligence: Known, Unknown, and Future Directions......Page 362 Glossary of Terms......Page 396 References......Page 410 Illustration Credits......Page 446 Index......Page 448

Sorting out the scientific facts from the unsupported hype about emotional intelligence.

Margaret Cardwell - Library Journal

Does emotional intelligence (EI) exist as real science? asks this meticulously documented work. Zeidner (education psychology & human development, Univ. of Haifa), Gerald Matthews (psychology, Univ. of Cincinnati), and Richard D. Roberts (research scientist, Educational Testing Service) delve into the research surrounding EI, which has found recent popularity for application in schools and businesses. They note the important applications that EI may have in education, the workplace, and the clinic and briefly touch on moral and ethical issues. The reliability of the various tests that try to define and measure EI is scrutinized using research studies published as recently as 2008. The authors do not dismiss EI as pseudoscience, but they do make many suggestions for further research to validate the study of this intelligence as its own discipline. Droll comments throughout help lighten the technical discussions. Recommended for practitioners and graduate collections in psychology, business, and education.

Sorting out the scientific facts from the unsupported hype about emotional intelligence.Emotional intelligence (or EI)—the ability to perceive, regulate, and communicate emotions, to understand emotions in ourselves and others—has been the subject of best-selling books, magazine cover stories, and countless media mentions. It has been touted as a solution for problems ranging from relationship issues to the inadequacies of local schools. But the media hype has far outpaced the scientific research on emotional intelligence. In What We Know about Emotional Intelligence, three experts who are actively involved in research into EI offer a state-of-the-art account of EI in theory and practice. They tell us what we know about EI based not on anecdote or wishful thinking but on science.What We Know about Emotional Intelligence looks at current knowledge about EI with the goal of translating it into practical recommendations in work, school, social, and psychological contexts. Introducing : emotional intelligence Emotional intelligence : mapping out the terrain Emotional intelligence : a new construct? Measure for emotional intelligence measures The intelligence in emotional intelligence The personality in emotional intelligence Emotional intelligence observed Developing emotional intelligence : from birth to earth How social is emotional intelligence? Grace under pressure : emotional intelligence, stress, and coping Emotional intelligence in action Schooling emotional intelligence Work and emotional intelligence Emotional intelligence and the toxic work environment Emotional intelligence in the clinic Emotional intelligence : revisited Emotional intelligence : known, unknown, and future directions.