Introduction
This essay deals with the analysis of Emotional Intelligence often measure as Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ) and its implication for contemporary theories of social psychology, organization of educational process, and other important aspects of this theory application. The analysis is subdivided into several parts. First, we address the interrelation between traditional and emotional approaches intelligences paying attention to historical evolution of emotional intelligences concepts and its main parameters. Secondly, implications for the methodology of educational assessment are discussed in the view finding effective combination and practical realization of multidimensional intelligence practices. Thirdly, implications of emotional intelligence approach are studied in terms of their application in modern learning practices. Further on, recent research on emotional intelligence is presented putting emphasis on the most interesting approaches and methodologies as well as a means for their introduction into school syllabus and curriculum. At last some brief summary of Daniel Goleman’s emotional intelligence theory is made.
Emotional intelligence vs. traditional intelligence
Emotional intelligence is often described as a capacity and ability, skill to assess and perceive and certain ability to manage personal emotions and emotions of others and group emotions. It is a pragmatic skill to install good communication and attain knowledge through social and educational interactions. For instance Salovey and Mayer (1990) consider emotional intelligence as “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 actions”.
Traditional intelligence was for a long period of time regarded as the main object that should be developed both during the process of education and socialization of children and adolescents. In traditional education the emphasis was usually put on cognitive aspects including memories and problem-solving, standard matters of assessment and doing various standardized exercises. The attention to emotional intelligence go back to Thorndike in 1920 coined the term social intelligence to discuss a skill of communication and understanding other people (Thorndike, 1920). In similar vain Gardner described the influence of non-intellectual factors on intelligent behavior and claimed that without them the education of intelligent person is impossible (Gardner, 1983). Further in the course of this theory development Gardner introduced the idea of Multiple Intelligences which included two main concepts – Interpersonal Intelligence – the ability to understand other people’s motivations, intentions and cognitive peculiarities and intrapersonal intelligence as the capacity to understand oneself. IQ test as a traditional technology for the assessment of intelligence is regarded is inadequate tool for assessment of emotional intelligence (Smith, 2002). Therefore, as we can see the concept of emotional intelligence is in opposition to traditional reductionist definitions of intelligence and seeks to create a framework for comprehensive analysis of intelligence.
Current understanding of Emotional Intelligence proceeds from the assumption that it includes four basic types of capacities:
- Perceiving emotions. The ability to process and decipher emotional information – gestures, pictures, voices and do corresponding conclusions and change one’s behavior.
- Using emotions – the ability to change one’s emotions in order to best orient in performing and fulfilling different tasks.
- Understanding emotions – the ability to understand emotional language and cognitive parameters that are tied with it.
- Managing emotions – which means the ability to change and regulate emotions in interpersonal and intrapersonal conditions.
Emotional intelligence and implications for assessment
The problem of emotional intelligence assessment is rather difficult and therefore there exists various instruments for it. Emotional intelligence is a key factor in determining success and is helpful in understanding why so many gifted children are not successful in many aspects (Richburg, Fletcher, 2002).
One of the most comprehensive measures for emotional intelligence evaluation is MSCEIT – Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test which consists of the number of emotional-based items pupils and students must solve. It tests person’s emotional abilities on the abovementioned four levels of competence and generates score according to emotional competence (Salovey and Grewal, 2005). This assessment method can be formalized through comparison of results with world wide data or can be measure by the group of educational practitioners and psychologists. What is problematic about this test is that unlike IQ there no correct answers.
The EI model described by Goleman which would be discussed at length later has more profound methodology of EI assessment which can be introduced in education. A wide spectrum of emotional competence is evaluated using multi-rater and self-assessment practices. Assessment tools of this model include Emotional Intelligence Appraisal (involving self-report or sometimes 360 degree evaluation (Bradberry and Greaves, 2005).
Bar-on model uses a term Emotion Quotient. This system of assessment proceeds from the assumption that emotional intelligence can be improved over times through programming, training and therapy (Bar-On, 1997). In the framework of this assessment tool emotional intelligence is deeply tied with general (traditional) intelligence and contributes to general educational and carrier success. Petrides and Furnham in their model outline the distinction between the capacity/ability based models and traits-based models (Petrides and Furnham, 2000). The evaluation mechanism that they propose is oriented on defining person’s ability to utilize the emotional information and self-perception images in fulfilling certain tasks rather than defining static parameters of emotional ability in tests. The main tool it uses is self-report. Among various tests tailored for measuring emotional intelligence the most popular are Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT), Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Assessment (SEI) etc. All these tools and methods of emotional assessment are widely used in the process of education which implication will be discussed in the next subsection.
EQ and formal testing
The introduction of emotional quotient in schools results in the complete revision of formal education methods of testing now widely used in education. As Ritchhart (2001) claims, ‘such consensus of assessment is due largely to the fact that the smartness sieve reflects a dominant cultural mindset about the set of attributes and qualities that make up intelligence. Chief among these qualities tends to be one’s knowledge and skill level’ (p.143). But as we already showed traditional intelligence is not sufficient in defining basic level of students’ intelligence thus introduction of emotional quotient and changing existing formal system of testing should be regarded as crucial component of new comprehensive approach. Formal methods of testing are inefficient in analysis of students’ ability to orient on different practical situations and take decisions depending on emotional information, control one’s behavior and make advantages from emotional characteristics of personality. The introduction of such methods that will ensure assessment of these qualities, thus, will undermine rigid structure of formal testing and create general framework for assessment both knowledge and emotional intelligence. This requires fist of all finding a way for uniting both approaches to intelligence in one test system, secondly it requires radically new approach to assessment not reduced too mere ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers. Furthermore, an important change that is to take place is training new educators which will assess emotional intelligence or introducing new programs for school teachers. Hence, as we see changing formal testing now existing in schools is premised on changing the whole system of intelligence assessment and its institutional underpinnings.
Emotional Intelligence and Implications for learning
The emotional intelligence is particularly important in cooperative education when different tasks should be fulfilled in group which is sometimes difficult due to the absence of good communicational skills and emotional intelligence among children and students (Norman, Combs-Richardson, 2001). Thus, emotional intelligences should be developed in the course of cooperative learning practices and exercises. The main measures that promote emotional intelligence in education on different levels are positive interdependence, accountability in individual and group basis, interaction and good communication between students and teachers and creating viable and effective group processes.
Taking into account all abovementioned premises for developing emotional intelligence it should be noted that the best generic approach for framing these changes is task-based education which places the primary emphasis on realization of the group tasks.
The process of learning should be regarded as multifaceted. If children especially in elementary school will be efficient in organization, elaboration of educational process but not only doing what they are asked to do by their children, this will help them to create good emotional intelligences and capacities for educational self-reporting, self-management and self-assessment. It is also important to note that more learning occurs in settings where interpersonal communication between students is intensive. These help develop emotional competence.
As Elksnin and Elksnin (2003) argue each social and emotional skill should be taught separately, ‘teachers can prepare to teach a social skill by providing the learner with a definition of the skill, the steps required to perform the skill, a rationale for learning the skill, situations in which to use the skill, role play situations in which to practice the skill, and social rules that govern skill use’ (p. 70). Methods that can be utilized for improving emotional intelligence as the same authors note are role playing that can be used for internalizing social rules of normal behavior, coincidental teaching which means that teachers show some illustration of emotional and social intelligence on occasional examples; peer reinforcement which means organizing effective social and emotional communication between students in the view of enhancing their learning; problem-solving, that is introducing certain exercises which foster the ability of students to utilize social and emotional knowledge and achieve practical educational goals.
Goleman’s theory of emotional intelligence
As was noted above Goleman’s theory focuses on the wide array of skills and competencies measured by such mechanisms as managerial performance evaluation tools, self-assessment and multi-rate assessment. Goleman observed functions of emotional intelligence in concrete educational and psychological conditions and came to conclusion that emotional intelligence is one of the main factors of personal and interpersonal success which found confirmation in many contemporary theories. The main components of this construct are:
- Self-awareness – the capacity to understand own emotions and reconfigure them to use in practical activities;
- Self-management – controlling impulses and emotions and adapting them to changing circumstances.
- Social awareness – which is the ability to understand, sense and react to people’s emotions and comprehending various certain networks.
- Relationship management – the ability of managing conflicts and resolving them.
Each component of the construct involves unique emotional competency which is not regarded as innate talents but instead should be constantly developed in learning to achieve good performance.
References
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