Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and regulate our own emotions. It also includes understanding the emotions of others and our reactions to those emotions. Some models of emotional intelligence extend this definition to include personality traits, mood, and motivation related to an individual’s emotions and the individual’s effectiveness in responding to others’ emotions. This entry summarizes the history of the concept, reviews major models, explicates its relationship to development, explains its links to cognitive and social abilities, and discusses real-world applications.