by Yuvi - November 14, 2020

Emotional Intelligence

Meaning of emotional intelligence

Emotional Intelligence, like General Intelligence is the product of one’s Heredity and its interaction with his environmental forces. Emotional Intelligence has, in recent years, been popularized and the research into its many components has multiplied. It is the latest development in understanding the relation between reason and emotion. Emotional Intelligence is the single most important factor in predicting success and other important factors like technical skills, specific knowledge, mental abilities, physical fitness, physical appearance and interest in a particular type of work, aspirations and career goals and life circumstances that either support or hinder performance

Definitions of Emotional Intelligence

Salovey and Mayor, “the ability to monitor one’s own and other’s feelings and emotions to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and actions.”
It may be said that emotional intelligence is a unitary ability which is related to but independent of standard, intelligence and helpful in knowing, feeling and judging emotions in close co-operation with thinking process to behave in a proper way, for the ultimate realize of the happiness and welfare of the self in true with others.

Characteristics of Emotional Intelligence

1. The ability to identify and understand emotions in oneself and others.

2. A fair degree of control over the expressions of emotions, so that one’s behavior builds and supports good relationships and does not damage them.

3. The ability to be frank, honest and assertive while respecting and catering for the emotional needs of those with whom one is communicating.

4. The choice of activities that are emotionally fulfilling.

5. The maintenance of a balance between all areas of one’s life (e.g. Home, work, friends, leisure etc.)

6. It is the single most important factor for personal adjustments success in relationships and in job performance.

7. It is different from general intelligence that usually measures cognitive functions such as vocabulary, information for facts, short term memory, verbal reasoning and the ability to learn new relationships.

8. It helps to predict academic performance, job performance and general adjustment in life.

9. It measures thirteen major facts of character which relate to success in life.

10. It refers to the areas of emotional health, relational success and job performance.

A person will be termed emotionally intelligent in proportion if he is able to:

i) Identify and perceive various types of emotions in others (through face-reading, body language and voice tone)

ii) Sense his own feelings and emotions

iii) Incorporate the perceived emotions in his thought (such as using his emotion, feelings in analyzing, problem solving, decision making).

iv) Have proper understanding of the nature, intensity and outcomes of his emotions.

v) Exercise proper control and regulation over the expression and use of emotions in dealing with self and others so as to promote harmony, prosperity and peace.

Role of the Teacher in developing emotional intelligence – 

For developing emotional intelligence among children, the teacher should ask the following questions to himself.

i) Are children of your class allowed to make mistakes?

ii) Are they allowed to problem solving or they just forced to follow orders and memorize?

iii) Does the adult in charge help the child to identify and talk about his/her feelings?

iv) Are children encouraged to understand other people’s feelings?

v) Are they taught positive ways to manage stress?

vi) Are children held accountable for their actions? Are they educated about the possible consequences of decisions they make?

vii) Are children allowed to freely state their concerns?

viii) Does the environment provide experiences that stretch the child” limits? Does class room provide a comfortable, supportive atmosphere?

ix) Is the child’s performance evaluated without comparison to other children?