Abstract
Some individuals have a greater capacity than others to carry out sophisticated information processing about emotions and emotion-relevant stimuli and to use this information as a guide to thinking and behavior. The authors have termed this set of abilities emotional intelligence (EI). Since the introduction of the concept, however, a schism has developed in which some researchers focus on EI as a distinct group of mental abilities, and other researchers instead study an eclectic mix of positive traits such as happiness, self-esteem, and optimism. Clarifying what EI is and is not can help the field by better distinguishing research that is truly pertinent to EI from research that is not. EI--conceptualized as an ability--is an important variable both conceptually and empirically, and it shows incremental validity for predicting socially relevant outcomes.
Department
Psychology
Publication Date
9-1-2008
Journal Title
American Psychologist
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Mayer, J. D., Salovey, P., & Caruso, D. R. (2008a). Emotional intelligence: New ability or eclectic traits? American Psychologist, 63, 503-517.