EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

1. Emotional Intelligence and its measurement

1.1. Definition of emotional intelligence
1.2. Measuring the emotional intelligence

2. The components of emotional intelligence

2.1. Self emotional knowledge and self-image
2.2. Assertiveness
2.3. Self-esteem
2.4. Stress tolerance
2.5. Problems solving
2.6. Social responsibility
2.7. Flexibility
2.8. Impulse control
2.9. Optimism

Objectives: after studying this chapter, students will be able to:

1. define emotional intelligence and its components
2. analyze the behaviour of their students and to detect indications of a low or
high emotional intelligence
3. counseling and education to apply the principles of emotional intelligence

Recommended bibliography:
1. Elias, Maurice; Tobias, Steven; Friedlander, Brian, 2002, Inteligenta emotională
în educatia copiiilor, Curtea Veche, Bucuresti.
2. Fodor, Iulia, 2009, Inteligenta emotională si stilurile de conducere, Lumen, Iasi.
3. Goleman, Daniel, 2001, Inteligenta emotională, ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti.
4. Goleman, Daniel; Boyatzis, Richard, 2007, Inteligenta emotională în leadership,
Curtea Veche, Bucuresti.
5. Roco, Mihaela, 2004, Creativitate si inteligenta emotională, Polirom, Bucuresti.
6. Stefaroi, Petru, 2009, Teoria fericirii în asistenta socială, Lumen, Iasi.
7. Stein, Steven; Book, Howard, 2007, EQ. Forta inteligentei emotionale, Polirom,
Bucuresti.
8. Torrabadella, Paz, 2009, Inteligenta emotională la locul de muncă, ALL,
Bucuresti.
9. Wood, Robert; Tolley, Harry, 2004, Inteligenta emotională prin teste, Meteor,
Bucuresti.

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 OVERVIEW

Emotional intelligence includes the essential elements: better understanding of their

own emotions, manage efficiently the emotions and increase the quality of life, better
understanding of the others and a comfort in human relationships, also creating better
relationships with the people around at all levels and increased productivity, while improving
personal image. According to statistical research, the emotional competence is twice as
important as technical skills and intellectual. Developing emotional intelligence is
understanding and managing emotions to create harmonious relationships with others. In high
school, the emotional intelligence is the key to successful counselling. The benefits of
increasing the degree of emotional intelligence include: increased performance, motivation,
improvement, increased innovation, increased self-confidence, effective management and
teamwork comfort.

1. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND ITS MEASUREMENT

The first chapter, the emotional intelligence and its measurement, addresses the
origins of the concept of emotional intelligence and explains the differences between types of
intelligence. For effective counselling there are necessary skills that belong to a series of
emotional intelligence, namely: observation of emotions, ability to feel emotions and
empathy, the ability to transmit emotions and what recourse to follow the development of
emotions. How to measure the emotional intelligence is through the EQ scales. There are
drawn parallels between IQ and EQ, to answer the question why some people with high IQ
have lower performance and why some people poorly prepared have high performance.

1.1. DEFINITION OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

1.1. The definition of emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence refers to a better understanding of emotions, an effective
management of emotions, understanding of others and improving personal image. Emotions
are a useful source of information that helps us handle the social environment. Emotional
intelligence includes 4 types of abilities: perception of emotions, using emotions,
understanding emotions and managing emotions.

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1.1. 1. Components of emotional intelligence
According to Goleman, there are outlined 4 components of Emotional Intelligence:
1. Self-knowledge
Emotional self-knowledge
Realistic and accurate self-knowledge
Confidence
2. Self-control
Emotional self-control
Transparency & integrity maintenance
Adaptability & adaptability to change
Results orientation
Initiative
Optimism & perseverance
3. Social “Awareness” (social awareness, group)
Empathy (feeling the other’s feelings and perspective, real interest to the concerns of others)
“Awareness” in the organization
Task orientation
4. Interpersonal relations management
Development of the others, of their skills, coaching
Inspirational leadership
Catalyst for change (initiation and change management)
Influence (persuasion plays an important role)
Conflict management (related to negotiation and dispute resolution)
Teamwork and collaboration (creating group synergy in pursuit of group goals)
The first two components are regarded as personal components of Emotional
intelligence, while the other two are regarded as social components of Emotional intelligence.

1.1.2. The history of emotional intelligence

The term ”emotional intelligence” was first used in an article in 1990 by
psychologists, Peter Salovey and John Mayer.

1.1.3. The benefits of emotional intelligence

1. Improved performances
2. Improved motivation

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 3. Increased innovation
4. Trust
5. Leadership and effective management
6. Excellent teamwork

1.1.4. Types of intelligence

In 1983, Howard Gardner introduced the term of ”Multiple Intelligences”. The 7
types of intelligence of Gardner’s are:
1. Mathematics-Logics Intelligence
2. Interpersonal Intelligence
3. Spatial Intelligence
4. Rhythmic-Musical Intelligence
5. Intrapersonal Intelligence
6. Kinaesthetic Intelligence
7. Linguistic-Verbal Intelligence

1.2. MEASURING THE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

1.2.1. The link between IQ and EQ

The IQ measures the individual informational basis of a person – memory,
vocabulary, visual and motor coordination. The EQ refers to the intrapersonal domain, the
interpersonal domain, the adaptability domain, the stress control domain and the general
condition domain, each with its components, as follows:
1. the intrapersonal domain (the ability to self-knowledge and self-control):
emotional self-awareness (the ability of the person to recognize how he feels in some way,
and the impact of his behaviour on others), the assertive character (assertiveness), the
independence (the ability to self-control and self-direction), self-respect (knowing the
strengths and the vulnerabilities, self-esteem), self-fulfilment (recognition of their potential).
2. the interpersonal domain (the ability to interact and collaborate with the others):
empathy, social responsibility, interpersonal relations (the ability to built and maintain
relationships).

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 3. the adaptability domain: testing the reality (the ability of the person to see things as
they are and not how they would like to be), flexibility (the adaptation of the feelings,
thoughts and actions as the condition solve, solving the problems).
4. the stress controlling domain: stress tolerance, impulse control.
5. the general condition domain: optimism, happiness.

1.2.2. The BarrOn Scale

The BarrOn emotional inventory is one of the most popular tools for measuring the
emotional intelligence today. It is applied to persons over 16 years old. Time management:
30 minutes, auto-evaluation.
The BarrOn emotional inventory consists of 133 items that assess:
1. own emotional knowledge
2. assertiveness
3. self-esteem
4. auto-update
5. empathy
6. interpersonal relations
7. social responsibility
8. problem solving
9. flexibility
10. reality testing
11. stress tolerance
12. impulse control
13. optimism
14. happiness

2. THE COMPONENTS OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

There are some barriers to effective control of emotions. The goal of emotional
intelligence is to understand emotions and to learn how they can be managed. There are three
areas that must be understood and managed: yourself, the people around and the barriers that
might stand in the way of that understanding. All the three aspects are linked together, but
there are parted two particular areas: stress management and anger management. Like

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listening and empathy, assertiveness is a skill that can be developed. According to a study of
Bloom and Associates led by the University of Missouri it was found that 85% of the
participants experienced positive changes in their lives as a result of involvement in a
program to develop assertiveness.

2.1. SELF EMOTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SELF-IMAGE

2.1.1. Estimation of awareness of emotional intelligence

The estimation of awareness of emotional intelligence represents all the assessments,
interpretations, impressions of themselves, of others and of different situations. These
estimations are largely determined by family background, previous experiences, beliefs and
value systems and take the form of inner dialogue. The estimation of awareness of emotional
intelligence helps to understand how emotions influence internal dialogue, actions and
reactions, which can be changed according to different situations.

2.1.2. Sensations and emotions

The senses are receiving information about situations, events and people around. It is
important to differentiate between sensory information and estimations. Quite often
perceptions are filtered and processed by our estimations. As awareness grows the greater is
the ability to consider the filtering process and we can distinguish between sensory and
estimation. Being able to tune your senses, you can monitor, clarify and change estimations
whenever necessary. People with emotional intelligence have developed the ability to
understand, on an emotional level, different perspectives on a single situation, important
ability to flexibly solve problems.

2.1.3. Self-image
The self-image of a person is the mental image he has about himself, image which
generally is quite resistant to change, containing elements that are available for observation
by others, but also items that were learned through his direct experiences or by internalization
of judgments issued by others. The poor self-image is generally the result of accumulation of
critics which have been addressed in childhood and which lead to the damage of their image
and how he perceives himself. A particular aspect is the self-image of those who are a victim.

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 2.2. ASSERTIVENESS

2.2.1. The definition of assertiveness

As listening and empathy, assertiveness is a skill that can be developed. Assertiveness
supports your rights, protects your personal space and expresses your views, needs and
feelings in an appropriate way socially, honestly and directly.

2.2.2. Effective self-assertion

Assertive people meet their own needs without compromising the needs of others.
Assertive people are looking to improve relationships with others, to maintain mutual respect
and to defend both their interests and those of others. Assertive behaviour leads to
contentment, control and self-esteem.
Direct expression does not mean to say the first thing that comes to mind but a
confident and controlled expression, at the right time and proper to the situation.
Assertiveness is a way of handling or misleading others in order to get what we want. It does
not suppress the rights and dignity of others.

2.3. SELF-ESTEEM

2.3.1. The definition of self-esteem

Self-esteem is a term used for global assessment of the person about his own value.
Self-esteem includes beliefs (such as I am competent or not) and emotions (like triumph,
despair, pride, shame). Self-esteem can be applicable to a particular situation (e.g. on the
profession) and has global expansion (I'm a good person, or I am not good for anything).
Self-esteem is a stable personal characteristic, with small variations over time.

2.3.2. Explicit and implicit self-esteem

Implicit self-esteem refers to the susceptibility of the individual to self-evaluate in
spontaneous, automatic or unconscious way. Explicit self-esteem is the conscious evaluation
after self-reflection. Both implicit self-esteem and explicit self-esteem are elements of the
overall concept of self-esteem. Implicit self-esteem has been defined as ”the introspective
identified effect of the attitude toward self in relation to objects and dissociated objects”. An
important aspect is that social experience of the person affects his default self-esteem level.

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2.3.3. Forming the self-esteem
Self-esteem is formed based on several factors: the relationship between the person
and his family, close friends, colleagues, religious / political group. This is because people
tend to compare themselves with others. Negative self-esteem is a risk factor for behavioural
food disorders such as bulimia and anorexia.

2.3.4. Increasing the self-esteem

Increased self-esteem is the first intervention in school and vocational counselling.
Increasing self-esteem techniques are generally known as strengthening of the ego, being of
integrative field, and being achieved by cognitive-behavioural means, gestalt type, in the
Neuro-linguistic programming or hypnotherapy techniques.

2.4. STRESS TOLERANCE

2.4.1. The definition of stress

Psychological stress refers to a person's inability to respond appropriately to
emotional or physical threats, real or imaginary. The signs of stress are cognitive, emotional,
physical or behavioural, including: faulty thinking, an overall negative view, excessive
worries, dispositional instability, irritability, agitation, inability to relax, feeling of loneliness,
isolation, depression, somatic pain, diarrhea or constipation, dizziness, nausea, chest pain,
palpitations, loss of appetite or overeating, neglecting responsibilities, increased consumption
of alcohol, nicotine or drugs.

2.4.2. Frustration and stress tolerance

Stress tolerance includes a repertoire of appropriate responses to stressful situations.
People with good stress tolerance tend to face crises and problems rather than give up
feelings of helplessness and despair. The anxiety that occurs when the stress tolerance is not
working properly has an upsetting effect on the general performance because it weakens
concentration, creates difficulties in making decisions and leads to somatic problems such as
sleep disorders.

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2.4.3. Stress management
Stress management refers to the improvement of stress and chronic stress in
particular, to improve the daily operation. Stress management was developed based on the
premise that stress is not a direct response to the stressor agent, but rather to the resources
and skills of the person to mediate the response to the stressor agent. It is necessary above all
to identify what are the central factors in controlling the stress for the person. Stress can be
reduced by changing the individual's perception of the stress agent.
Stress management techniques vary depending on the theoretical paradigm, but
generally include:
- Autogenic training
- Cognitive therapy
- Conflict resolution
- Physical exercise
- Meditation
- Finding a hobby
- Artistic expression
- Breathing techniques
- Relaxation techniques
- Time management
- Listening to music

2.5. PROBLEMS SOLVING

2.5.1. The learned helplessness

The learned helplessness is the situation when a person has learned to act helpless,
even if he has the opportunity to help himself to avoid unpleasant or harmful circumstances
in which he was submitted. Accordingly, the person has the impression that he cannot control
the outcome of a situation. The learned helplessness is also a motivational problem: the
person who previously failed to perform a task concludes erroneously that he cannot improve
his performance. The learned helplessness can be used as an excuse.

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2.5.2. Problems solving effectively
Problems solving is a mental process and part of the broader process of the problem
that includes problem finding and problem shaping. Considered one of the most complex
intellectual functions, problem solving is defined as the higher order cognitive process that
requires more modulation and control of the abilities.
The problems that seem unsolvable in general have several common characteristics:
- lack of transparency or clarity of the situation;
- multipurpose;
- complexity;
- time constraints and lack of dynamic predictability.
Solving difficult problems requires component separation of these features.

2.6. SOCIAL RESPONSABILITY

2.6.1. The definition of the social responsibility

The social responsibility is an ideology or theory that an organization or person has
the obligation to act for the benefit of the society. Social responsibility can be passive, such
as avoiding employment in negative or harmful acts or activities, such activities conducted
for social benefits.

2.6.2. Social responsibility and self-esteem

The higher the self-esteem of a person, the greater the chances that he is directly
involved in the acts that show social responsibility.
People with low self-esteem are often caught in two types of traps:
- the confusion of social responsibility to take responsibility in any situation, and especially
in situations that normally would not be the responsibility of the person. Usually in these
cases we are dealing with the phenomenon of victimization.
- full non-involvement in social life, as a result of learned helplessness.

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 2.7. FLEXIBILITY

2.7.1. The definition of flexibility

Flexibility is a personality trait, reflecting the degree to which the person can manage
change in various circumstances and they can think about problems in new and creative
ways.

2.7.2. Flexibility and reaction to change

The reaction to change is better as the person’s flexibility is increased. Less flexible
people have difficulties managing change, occurring different reactions to stress and
frequently anxiety reactions. Flexibility also involves positive thinking skills and effective
management of stress and time. Hardness is in many cases a form of psychological defence,
as a result of the fact that change is perceived as a potential danger.

2.8. IMPULSE CONTROL

Emotions have long been regarded as passions that come and go, more or less
uncontrollably (Solomon, 1976). However it seems that we can control our emotions, through
a wide range of strategies that influence them (Gross, 1998).
Specific emotional regulation strategies can be distinguished during the development
of the emotional response. Emotions begin to assess emotional cues, triggering a series of
coordinated response tendencies that involve experiential, behavioural and physiological
systems. Once these response tendencies occur, they can be modulated. Emotional control
strategies are different depending on where they have a primary impact on the processes that
generate emotions.
Emotion regulation strategies focused on history include:
- selecting the situation
- changing the situation
- diversion of attention
- cognitive modification
Cognitive reassessment is helpful in reducing the experiential and behavioural
components of negative emotions, while suppressing expressive modifies the behavioural
issues, thereby reducing the behavioural expression of negative emotions.

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2.8.2. Anger management
Anger management refers to a system of psychotherapeutic techniques and exercises
by which an excessive or uncontrollable anger person can control or reduce the triggers and
the effects of an emotional state of anger.
The methods of anger management focus on the balance between emotional control
and allowing free expression of emotions in a healthy way. These methods include:
- direct methods, which involve behavioural changes and learning assertiveness
- identifying the causes of anger
- focusing on the purpose of discussion
- examining himself and his own behaviour
- listening to other people

2.9. OPTIMISM

2.9.1. Catastrophic thinking

The catastrophic thinking is part of the cognitive triad described by Beck and it
involves:
- negative thoughts about himself, such as the person’s conviction that he has no value;
- negative thoughts about the environment, such as the belief that the world is unfair;
- negative thoughts about the future, for example the idea that the future is hopeless.

2.9.2. Positive thinking

The explanatory style of the individuals with catastrophic thinking is very different
than the people who have a positive thinking. Optimism and pessimism come from how
people explain their various events.
There are three dimensions typical to the explanations of the events, namely:
- stable versus unstable
- internal versus external
- specific versus global.
The optimistic justifications of the negative experiences are attributed to external
factors, with the tendency not to occur regularly (unstable) and limited to certain areas
(specific). Positive experiences on the other hand are labelled by people as internal, stable

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and global. Pessimistic or catastrophic thinking people tend to attribute negative occurrences
to internal factors, to consider them quasi-permanent and with global coverage.
The explanatory style is measured either with the life orientation test, or by applying
the attributive style questionnaire.

CHAPTER SUMMARY

Most of the skills leading to performance are emotional competencies. It can be

concluded that the emotional competencies are twice as important as technical or intellectual
skills, so that the emotional intelligence is a crucial competence in school counsellors. The
chapter includes theoretical explanations and practical integrative applications to increase
emotional competence and to change the design of the interaction with the others.

KEY CONCEPTS

1. Emotional intelligence
2. Assertiveness
3. Self-esteem
4. Stress management
5. Anger management
6. Flexibility
7. Positive thinking

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL RESOURCES
1. Elias, Maurice; Tobias, Steven; Friedlander, Brian, 2002, Inteligenta emotională în
educatia copiiilor, Curtea Veche, Bucuresti.
2. Emmerling, Robert; Shanval, Vinod; Mandal, Manas, 2008, Emotional intelligence.
Theoretical and cultural perspectives, Nova Science Publishers, London.
3. Fodor, Iulia, 2009, Inteligenta emotională si stilurile de conducere, Lumen, Iasi.
4. Goleman, Daniel, 2001, Inteligenta emotională, ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti.
5. Goleman, Daniel; Boyatzis, Richard, 2007, Inteligenta emotională în leadership,
Curtea Veche, Bucuresti.
6. Goleman, Daniel, 2000, Working with emotional intelligence, Bantam Books, New

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 York.
7. Matthews, Gerald; Zeidner, Moshe; Roberts, Richard, 2005, Emotional intelligence.
Science and myth, Massachussets Institute of Technology.
8. Roco, Mihaela, 2004, Creativitate si inteligenta emotională, Polirom, Bucuresti.
9. Salovey, Peter; Brackett, Marc; Mayer, John, 2007, Emotional intelligence, Dude
publishing, New York.
10. Segall, Jeane, 1997, Raising your emotional intelligence, Holt, New York.
11. Stefaroi, Petru, 2009, Teoria fericirii în asistenta socială, Lumen, Iasi.
12. Stein, Steven; Book, Howard, 2007, EQ. Forta inteligentei emotionale, Polirom,
Bucuresti.
13. Torrabadella, Paz, 2009, Inteligenta emotională la locul de muncă, ALL, Bucuresti.
14. Wharam, Jane, 2009, Emotional intelligence. Journey to the center of yourself, O
Books, London.
15. Wood, Robert; Tolley, Harry, 2004, Inteligenta emotională prin teste, Meteor,
Bucuresti.

OTHER USEFUL RESOURCES

1. Hawkins, Peter J, Catharsis in counselling psychology, disponibil la
http://www.europeanschoolofpsychotherapy.com/ESIP/Downloads_files/CATHAR
SIS.pdf accesat la 20.09.2010

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