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. 2008 Sep;63(6):503-17.
doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.63.6.503.

Emotional intelligence: new ability or eclectic traits?

John D Mayer  1 , Peter Salovey, David R Caruso
Affiliations

Emotional intelligence: new ability or eclectic traits?

John D Mayer et al. Am Psychol. 2008 Sep.

Abstract

Some individuals have a greater capacity than others to carry out sophisticated information processing about emotions and emotion-relevant stimuli and to use this information as a guide to thinking and behavior. The authors have termed this set of abilities emotional intelligence (EI). Since the introduction of the concept, however, a schism has developed in which some researchers focus on EI as a distinct group of mental abilities, and other researchers instead study an eclectic mix of positive traits such as happiness, self-esteem, and optimism. Clarifying what EI is and is not can help the field by better distinguishing research that is truly pertinent to EI from research that is not. EI--conceptualized as an ability--is an important variable both conceptually and empirically, and it shows incremental validity for predicting socially relevant outcomes.

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