Putting ‘Emotional Intelligences’ in Their Place: Introducing the Integrated Model of Affect-Related Individual Differences

Abstract

Numerous individual differences, models, and measures have been associated with the ‘emotional intelligence’ (EI) label. This paper discusses one of the most pervasive problems regarding EI-related individual differences, namely, the lack of a meaningful theoretical framework. First, drawing upon existing theoretical frameworks, we argue that EI-related characteristics can be considered constituents of existing models of cognitive ability (ability EI), personality (trait EI), and emotion regulation (EI competencies). Second, having differentiated between these perspectives (ability, personality, and emotion regulation), we draw upon existing theory and research to build the Integrated Model of Affect-related Individual Differences (IMAID), which provides an initial mechanistic representation that explains how the different EI-related constructs are likely to interrelate and coalesce to influence affective outcomes. In essence, the IMAID is an integrated mediation model in which emotion regulation mediates the effects of ability EI and affect-related personality traits upon outcomes. Viewing EI-related constructs as interrelated extensions of well-established individual difference frameworks clarifies some pervasive misconceptions regarding EI-related characteristics and provides scholars and practitioners with a clear and useful theoretical framework ripe for exploration. We conclude by using the IMAID to suggest a theoretically driven agenda for future research.

Personality traits and emotion regulation: A targeted review and recommendations.

“…In the implementation stage, individuals enact the selected regulatory strategy using specific cognitive and behavioral tactics. Currently, there is a complete absence of research exploring the relationships between personality traits and specific tactics, but given the associations between personality traits and other aspects of the regulatory process it seems likely that personality traits will also be associated with specific implementation tactics (Hughes & Evans, 2018). For example, because individuals high in neuroticism are avoidance motivated (i.e., want to avoid failure and see many situations as threats) and tend to impression-manage, they might choose to avoid attending a friend's party by using an excuse (e.g., busy with work), to appear passive whilst avoiding offending the friend.…”

“…This review indicates that studying personality traits can improve our understanding of how and why individual differences in emotion regulation arise. Our most prominent call for future research is to continue this integration using theoretical frameworks such as the extended process model (Gross, 2015) and the IMAID (Hughes & Evans, 2018). In addition, we identified a number of research gaps:…”

“…It goes on to discuss evidence pertaining personality and a number of other important factors that might give rise to individual differences in emotion regulation. Hughes, D. J., & Evans, T. R. (2018). Putting 'emotional intelligences' in their place: Introducing the integrated model of affect-related individual differences.…”

The prevalence and predictive factors of internet addiction and its relationship with emotional intelligence among medical students

“…[18,19] Emotional intelligence (EI) is a term dedicated to a wide range of individual differences that should be a combination of emotion and intelligence. [20] EI is defined as the individual's ability to effectively perceive, understand, regulate, and express emotional events. Thereby, EI is a construct that explains how emotions are perceived, regulated, and expressed with more or less skill.…”

Comparing Emotional Intelligence and Self-esteem in Secondary School Students of Punjab

“…Salovey and Mayer (cf. Hughes & Evans, 2018) explained the conceptualization of emotional intelligence by dividing it into three comprehensive categories including appraisal and manifestation of emotion, regulation of emotion and the utilization of emotion. They explained emotional intelligence as the subcategory of social intelligence that includes the ability to observe one's own and others' feelings and emotions, to differentiate among them and to use this information to guide one's thinking and actions.…”