The Science of Emotional Intelligence Author(s): Peter Salovey and Daisy Grewal Reviewed work(s): Source: Current Directions

in Psychological Science, Vol. 14, No. 6 (Dec., 2005), pp. 281-285 Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. on behalf of Association for Psychological Science Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20183048 . Accessed: 06/08/2012 10:50
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Sage Publications, Inc. and Association for Psychological Science are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Current Directions in Psychological Science.

http://www.jstor.org

CURRENT DIRECTIONS

IN PSYCHOLOGICAL

SCIENCE

The

Science

of

Emotional

Intelligence
Peter Salovey and Daisy Grewal Yale University

ABSTRACT?This

article

provides

an

overview

of

current

reliably monly

measure assessed

skills aspects

that

are

relatively

distinct

from

com

defined

it has been intelligence. Although in many ways, we focus on the four-branch model emo and Salovey (1997), which characterizes by Mayer tional intelligence as a set of four related abilities: per
ceiving, using, understanding, and managing emotions.

research

on emotional

of personality.

THE FOUR-BRANCH MODELOF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Emotional
intelligence tion that help

theory provides dividual differences

tional information.

The

a useful framework for studying in emo in abilities related to processing

Despite measurement obstacles, the

intelligence brings together the fields of emotions and

by viewing one to make emotions sense as useful of and sources the of informa social en navigate

evidence
Emotional mains,

in favor
among

of emotional
predicts personal them

intelligence
success and work

is accumulating.
in important do relationships. social inter

intelligence

vironment. Salovey and Mayer (1990, p. 189) proposed a formal definition of emotional intelligence as "The ability to monitor
one's to use own this and others' feelings, to guide to discriminate one's thinking among and them, and Later information action."

KEYWORDS?emotional action

intelligence;

emotions;

this definition was refined and broken down into four proposed
abilites that are distinct yet related: perceiving, using, under

In the past decade, emotional intelligence has generated an enormous amount of interest both within and outside the field of
psychology. tention, countered present emotional concept. The and many one concept readers has of received this article considerable may have media already at en The study of of the

standing, and managing emotions (Mayer & Salovey, 1997). The first branch of emotional intelligence, perceiving emo tions, is the ability to detect and decipher emotions in faces,
pictures, ability represent makes The all to voices, identify the most other and one's basic cultural own artifacts. It also includes emotions intelligence, possible. emotions, cognitive can illus the may as it emotions.

or more

definitions however, rather

of emotional focuses than on on the

intelligence. scientific

Perceiving

discussion, intelligence

aspect

of emotional

processing branch

of emotional

information using various We

popularizations

second

of emotional emotions and

intelligence, to facilitate problem

Mayer and Salovey

proposed need a model in psychology

(1997; see also Salovey & Mayer,

intelligence to to address organize the a study

1990)
of in

is the ability activities,

to harness such as

of emotional

thinking

growing

solving.

for a framework

trate the skills in this branch through a hypothetical

Imagine signment in a short that you have to complete a difficult and and attention requiring amount deductive of time; would reasoning

scenario.
tedious as to detail

dividual differences
tests of emotional emotional important relationships

in abilities

related to emotion. This theo

remain to have

retical model motivated

the creation of the first ability-based

Although has been such as findings shown pre an ef

it be better,

intelligence. intelligence life outcomes and

as far as completing

liminary, fect on

forming at work.

satisfying Perhaps

the task goes, to be in a good mood or in a sad mood? Being in a slightly sad mood helps people conduct careful, methodical
work. novative Conversely, thinking a happy (e.g., mood Isen, can stimulate Mertz, creative & and Robinson, in Johnson,

personal

achieving

success

most

importantly, ability-based

tests of emotional

intelligence

1985). The emotionally intelligent person can capitalize fully upon his or her changing moods in order to best fit the task at
hand.

Address

correspondence Yale University, PO Box peter. salovey@y ale. edu.

to Peter 208205,

of Psychology, Salovey, Department New Haven, CT 06520-8205; e-mail:

The
emotions,

third branch of emotional

is the ability to comprehend

intelligence,
emotion among

understanding
language emotions. and For

to appreciate

complicated

relationships

Volume 14?Number 6 Copyright ?

2005 American Psychological Society

281

Emotional

Intelligence

example, be sensitive

understanding to slight

emotions variations

encompasses between emotions,

the

ability such as

to the

their can

abilities recognize

to differentiate fine-grained

their

emotions;

that

is, some they are

people feeling

distinctions

in what

difference between happy and ecstatic. Furthermore,

the ability time, such to recognize shock and can describe turn into how grief. emotions as how

it includes
evolve over

(e.g., "I feel angry and guilty, and a little bit sad too"), whereas
other (e.g., people "I feel can bad"; only recognize Gross, traumatic their feelings in a vague & way Barrett, sharing Christensen, personal Benvenuto, can

The fourth branch of emotional

tions, consists of the ability to

intelligence, managing
emotions in both

emo
our

2001).

In addition,

experiences

regulate

selves and in others. Everyone

when they have temporarily,

is familiar with times in their lives

sometimes embarrassingly, lost

and

often help people achieve emotional closure, leading to better long-term emotional and physical health (Pennebaker, 1997). Based on the four-branch model of emotional intelligence, we
can using interpret emotions. Frederickson's Furthermore, work Barrett as important et al.'s to branch research two, on (2001)

control of their emotions. The fourth branch also includes

ability to manage the emotions of others. For example,

the

an emo

tionally intelligent politician might

use anger can it to deliver in others. harness a powerful speech the Therefore, even

increase her own anger and

in order to arouse intelligent and manage righteous person them to

emotional differentiation

relates to the third branch of emotional

emotionally ones,

emotions, goals.

negative

achieve

intended

emotions. Pennebaker's (1997) understanding intelligence, in nicely with the fourth branch, managing emotions. findings tie Emotional intelligence provides an organizing heuristic that helps us to understand the relationships among reported findings
and guides directions for future research.

IN EMOTIONALINTELLIGENCE CONTEXT MEASURINGEMOTIONALINTELLIGENCE

Intrinsic to the four-branch model
the text idea that these they skills operate. cannot in which In order

of emotional
outside these to use

intelligence
social con skills, one must

is The first tests of emotional

scales, which ask (e.g. people displaying characteristics

exist

of the

intelligence
to rate patience,

consisted
on

of self-report
a number good relation of

themselves having

be aware of what
people discussion with whom of how

is considered
one interacts. to measure

appropriate
This point

behavior
is central

by the
to our

ships, tolerating stress well) that the authors of such tests believe
represent emotional intelligence. intelligence personality However, such as scores these such are on self-report corre tests lated of emotional with standard highly

emotional

intelligence.

We consider the role of emotional intelligence be similar to that played by traditional, analytic intelligence. Specifically, emotional intelligence is a set of interrelated skills
that allows people to process emotionally relevant information

in personality

to

constructs

as extroversion

(Brackett & Mayer, 2003). Such tests raise two difficult questions: whether people are sufficiently aware of their and neuroticism
own emotional abilities to report upon them accurately, and

efficiently
Although tests

and accurately
emotional verbal

(Mayer, Caruso, & Salovey,

correlates to some extent it overlaps only modestly such as those organized to experience, and emotional rather operate further than

1999).
with with by the

intelligence abilities,

whether
porting lems,

people

answer the questions

desirable tests such manner. as

truthfully instead of re
To address these prob

that measure measures personality

in a socially ability-based

standard Big Five

of personality traits:

the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso

openess

conscien Our as a traits. social

Emotional

tiousness,

extroversion, therefore or

agreeableness, defines

neuroticism. intelligence personality in every

conceptualization set of skills these

Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) were constructed (Mayer, & Caruso, 2002). Salovey, The MSCEIT is a 40-minute battery that may be completed
either each scores on paper of the four for each or computer. branches By testing a person's abilities it generates score (see Figs. on of emotional as well intelligence, as a total

competenencies skills as a whole requiring

Whether context

similarly research.

is a question

It is possible

of the branches

that people may differ in emotional

kinds harness These gation. As model noted earlier, one of the primary was to of emotions their sorts or that some emotional of contextual intelligence questions

intelligence
are in social require or other much

for different
better able situations. investi to

1-4 for items similar to those on the MSCEIT for each of the four branches).
emotional Therefore,

individuals

Central
intelligence

to the four-branch model

requires is scored attunement in a consensus

is the idea that

to social fashion, norms. with

more

the MSCEIT

higher scores indicating higher overlap between an individual's

purposes provide in proposing a framework a for answers and those provided by a worldwide can sample of thousands scored, individual's emotion and experts re yield pos so of emotional of respondents. that the amount and In addition, of overlap those provided both that the MSCEIT is calculated by a be expert an 21

intelligence

investigators exploring
of emotion-relevant researchers to look have made differences. a

individual differences
In recent discoveries example, repertoire

in the processing
years, a number places can to of suggesting

between group are laypeople emotions of

information. important For

answers searchers. similar sess Caruso,

Importantly, scores, indicating social Sitaremos,

methods both about

reliable and

for such

positive of thoughts,

emotions leading

temporarily

broaden

person's

shared &

knowledge 2003).

(Mayer,

Salovey,

creative problem solving (Frederickson,

1998). People

vary in

282 Volume 14?Number

Peter

Salovey

and Daisy

Grewal

1t*A
3 3 4 4
branch of

item similar to those from the perceiving emotions Fig. 1. Example the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT).

Creating

an assessment

battery

that

successfully

tests

a con

2004). College-aged
Big the Five personality of frequency

students were asked to take the MSCEIT, a

test, engaging and an array in various of measures behaviors. that assessed Males who

intelligence appears that theMSCEIT is an appropriate starting point. Scores

on each managing) and overall of the four correlate scores branches modestly are reliable (perceiving, with one (Mayer using, another, et al., understanding, and the branch Lopes,

struct as broad as emotional

is challenging,

but it

scored lower on the MSCEIT reported engaging

ational drug use and consuming having more more alcohol. unsatisfying participants reported

in more recre
these

In addition,

2003).

relationships

Salovey, between
agreeableness

and Straus (2003) found small positive correlations scores on the MSCEIT and the Big Five traits of
and conscientiousness. However, not only does

with their friends. Even when controlling for the effects of par ticipants' personality and for analytic intelligence, the findings involving emotional intelligence remained significant (this is true also for the other MSCEIT studies discussed in this article). Lopes et al. (2003) administered the MSCEIT to a sample of
college reported students, satisfaction along with with questionnaires relationships. that assessed self who social Participants

the MSCEIT appear to test emotional abilities

sonality traits, it also does not correlate with

rather than per

that measure

scales

a person's likelihood

to respond in socially desirable ways.

FINDINGSUSINGTHE MSCEIT
Since the concept first became popular, eager advocates of

scored higher on the MSCEIT were more likely to report having positive relationships with others, including greater perceived
support from their parents and fewer negative interactions with

their close friends. used the MSCEIT

relationships.

emotional
in almost others.

intelligence have claimed that emotional skills matter

all areas of life?from many of these career claims success await to being liked test, by re empirical

A limitation of the two studies described above is that they to predict the self-reported quality of social
Lopes et al. (2004), however, examined the rela

Although

search using theMSCEIT has corroborated a few of them and has offered some new insights. We have explored the importance of
how these skills operate within interpersonal interaction, and

tionship between individuals' emotional intelligence and reports of their attributes by their peers. American college students took the MSCEIT and were asked to have two of their close friends
rate their personal qualities. The students who scored higher on

clinical researchers have speculated about using theMSCEIT in the assessment of psychopathology. We begin with a study looking at the relationship between emotional intelligence and
antisocial behavior.

the MSCEIT received more positive ratings from their friends. The friends also reported that students high in emotional intel ligence were more likely to provide them with emotional support in times of need. Emotionally
capacity to increase favorable

Emotional
behavior

intelligence

is negatively

associated with deviant

Mayer, & Warner,

intelligent people may have the

reciprocity within a relationship.

in male

adolescents

(Brackett,

What mood(s) might be helpful to feel when meeting very first time? Not Useful
a) Tension b) Surprise c)Joy Fig. 12 item similar 12 12 3 3 3

in-laws for the

Useful
4 4 4 5 5 5 the using emotions Test (MSCEIT). branch of the

2. Example

to those from Intelligence

Mayer-Salovey-Caruso

Emotional

Volume 14?Number

6 283

Emotional

Intelligence

Tom about him

felt anxious, all the work an additional

and

became he

a bit stressed to do. When felt_. his

when

he

thought brought

he needed project,

supervisor

a) Overwhelmed b) Depressed c) Ashamed d) Self Conscious e) Jittery Fig. 3. Example branch the of item similar to those from the understanding emotions Test Emotional Intelligence

Mayer-Salovey-Caruso

(MSCEIT).
In another were to

study,

German

students

asked

keep

diaries

of their daily social interactions (Lopes et al., 2004). Those students who scored higher on the MSCEIT reported greater
success sex. come For in their example, social they interactions were more with likely members to report manner as having of the opposite that and desirable they that had their qual

MSCEIT. All employees were asked to rate each other on the qualities they displayed at work, such as handling stress and conflict well and displaying leadership potential. Supervisors were also asked to rate their employees. Employees with higher
scores deal on with the MSCEIT and as more Their were rated by their colleagues a as easier positive work interper and to responsible supervisors more tolerant for creating rated of them

across

in a competent partner perceived

or attractive them

opposite-sex

environment. sonally

as more more

ities, such as intelligence and friendliness. Emotional intelligence may also help people
with their partners and spouses. One study

sensitive,

stress,

sociable,

in relationships
the emo

examined

having greater potential for leadership. Moreover, higher scores on the MSCEIT were related to higher salary and more promo
tions. evidence portant Salovey, Despite that role its small sample, intelligence success (Lopes, the study may shows in fact exciting play an Gall, new im & emotional in career

tional intelligence of 180 college-age couples (Brackett, Cox, Gaines, & Salovey, 2005). They completed the MSCEIT and then answered questions about the quality of their relationships. The couples were classified by how matched they were in emotional intelligence. The couples in which both individuals scored low on the MSCEIT relationship,
two groups. The

Grewal,

Kadis,

in press).

reported the greatest unhappiness with their as compared to the happiness ratings of the other
couples in which both partners were emotionally

FUTUREDIRECTIONS
We have discussed
emotions.

intelligent were very happy. Furthermore, couples inwhich only one partner had high emotional intelligence tended to fall be
tween the other groups in happiness. also 500 may matter at work. A sample worked of in the Emotional employees small teams intelligence of a Fortune each

the four-branch model of emotional intelli and its utility as a guiding framework for research on gence
In addition, we have described a recently developed

ability-based
value abilities. company, supervisor, who We

test of emotional
which the MSCEIT New view

intelligence,
a as an early

the MSCEIT, and its

emotion-related in the assessment should step

as a tool with

to assess

person's

insurance by a

headed

completed

of emotional

intelligence.

interactive

technologies

1. Debbie and Action do. Very content.

back from vacation. She was just came action How well would each preserve started to make a list of things at home

peaceful feeling her mood? that she needed to

1 :She

Ineffective.. 1.2.3.4.5..Very began thinking

Effective about where and when she would go on her

Action 2: She next vacation.

Very Ineffective.. 1.2.3.4.5..Very Action anyway. Very Ineffective.. 1.2.3.4.5..Very 3: She decided itwas best

Effective to ignore the feeling since itwouldn't last

Effective emotions (MSCEIT). branch of

item similar to those from the managing Fig. 4. Example Test Emotional the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Intelligence

284 Volume 14?Number

Peter

Salovey

and Daisy

Grewal

lead

to innovative

and

valid

ways

of assessing

people's

abilities,

REFERENCES
Barrett, L.F, Gross, what J., Christensen, and T., & Benvenuto, what M. (2001). to do about it: and emotion

especially
This area

fluid emotional
of research also

intelligence
can benefit

in online situations.
from a focus on several

theoretical challenges. We lack a thorough understanding

underlying fect mechanisms Research by which emotion-related to understand abilities relationships. is needed

of the
af

Knowing Mapping regulation.

you're feeling the relation between Cognition

knowing emotion differentiation 15, 713-724.

and Emotion,

the moti

Brackett,

M.A.,

Cox, A., Gaines, and

S.O., & Salovey, among

of using certain skills depending on the particular interpersonal context. One of the biggest challenges is vational underpinnings
out on how the figuring factors to examine and the influence of of such these contextual skills. It application functionality

intelligence Manuscript Brackett, M.A., cremental Personality Brackett, M.A.,

quality relationship submitted for publication.

P. (2005). Emotional heterosexual couples.

& Mayer,

seems likely that individual differences in temperament, which affect levels of arousal, might influence the application of
emotion-related much erate receive emotion-related outside much of skills. Furthermore, knowledge conscious and some have argued behavior that has yet that op to subsequent an idea

and in J.D. (2003). Convergent, discriminant, of emotional validity of competing measures intelligence. and Social Psychology 29, 1147-1158. Bulletin, Emotional intel and Individual

R.M. J.D., & Warner, (2004). Mayer, of behavior. Personality and the prediction ligence 36, 1387-1402. Differences, B.L. (1998). What of General good 2, 300-319. Mertz, affect are positive

Frederickson,

emotions?

Review

awareness,

Psychology, Johnson, M.M., of positive

exploration.

Isen,

A.M., The

Finally, future researchers will need to address more fully the

potential impact?positive training and negative?of Although instituting such emo Lopes, tional-intelligence programs. programs

influence

E., & Robinson, on the unusualness and Social

G.F. of word Psychology,

(1985). asso 48,

ciations. 1413-1426. P.N., lovey,

Journal

of Personality

Brackett, P.

M.A.,

Nezlek,

J.B.,

Sch?tz,

A.,

Sellin,

I., & Sa

appear to offer the possibilities

lems, searchers basic from obesity that the to same school problems

of tackling major social prob

violence, that also we face apply aimed must any caution application to emotional at increasing re of in

Personality Lopes, P.N., Evidence and affect

Emotional and social interaction. (2004). intelligence and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30, 1018-1034. D., Kadis, that emotional and attitudes P. (in press). M., & Salovey, to job performance is related intelligence at work. Psicothema. J., Gall, intelligence, relationships.

Grewal,

science The

to real-world curricula

settings of

telligence.

programs

emotional
than

intelligence

should be empirically-based.
problems, emotional

Rather
is

Lopes,

a panacea

for all human

intelligence

that can be applied in prosocial or antisocial ways. Simply developing the skills of emotional intelligence may a set of abilities
not prove fruitful unless we also implement factors interventions affecting that the use address the contextual and motivational

P., & Straus, R. (2003). Emotional Salovey, of social and the perceived personality, quality and Individual 35, 641-658. Personality Differences, P.N.,

P. (1999). Emotional J.D., Caruso, D., & Salovey, Mayer, intelligence meets standards for an intelligence. traditional 27, Intelligence, 267-298. Mayer, In P. is emotional J.D., & Salovey, P. (1997). What intelligence? & D. Sluyter Emotional and emotional Salovey (Eds.), development Educational intelligence: implications (pp. 3-31). New York: Basic Books. J.D., Caruso Salovey, Emotional P., & Caruso, D. Test (2002). (MSCEIT). The Mayer-Salovey Toronto, Ontario:

of these skills. A careful application of the scientific basis of emotional intelligence holds promise in affecting the lives of
schoolchildren, workers, and family members. Mayer,

Intelligence

Multi-Health Recommended Barrett, Reading P. (Eds.). (2002). The wisdom infeeling: Psy New York: Guilford in emotional intelligence. P. (2005). American smart: The 93, 330-339. science of emo Mayer, J.D., Salovey, emotional

Systems. P., Caruso, intelligence D.R., with & Sitarenios, the MSCEIT G. (2003). Meas V 2.0. Emotion,

L.F., & Salovey, processes

chological Press. Grewal,

uring 3, 97-105. Pennebaker,

D., & Salovey, tional intelligence.

Feeling Scientist,

emotion. Salovey,

J.W. (1997). Opening New York: Guilford

up: The healing Press. Emotional 9, 185-211.

power

of expressing

Cognition,

P., & Mayer, J.D. (1990). and Personality,

intelligence.

Imagination,

Volume 14?Number

6 285