Concepts and Measures of Emotional Intelligence – A Research Perspective

Abstract

Einstein’s superior intellectual ability may have been related to the region of his brain that supports psychological functions – This is a belief now held by scientists, based on emerging evidence in the field of Emotional Intelligence. Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a form of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and action (Salovey & Mayer, 1990). The field of Emotional Intelligence had its roots in Psychobiology and neuroscience. It is a nebulous concept and is studied by those in Education, Human Resources, and Psychiatry, among others. EI emerged in 1990 as a  concept and since then researchers have put in numerous efforts to conceptualize, measure, understand, and develop EI. This article presents an overview of the numerous research efforts that lead to the conceptualization and measurement of EI and concludes by identifying the most appropriate measure of EI.