Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EI) is an umbrella term that is used to describe a whole range of things that may well be qualitatively different: emotional awareness, personal competence, social skills, but it signifies something that is slightly separate from mental health. It is a fuzzy concept that since its appearance in the early 1990s has caught the attention of the mainstream media whilst remaining somewhat problematic within academic circles. Generally, EI is understood to signify an individual’s ability to understand, manage, and apply their emotions positively in a range of situations as well as recognise and support the emotions of others. In connecting the term ‘intelligence’ to emotions, we can also determine that the [Page 715]emotions are distinct, performable, and measurable. This entry presents an overview ...