How It Affects Learning, Work, Relationships, and Our Mental Health
Emotional intelligence (or EI) — the ability to perceive, regulate, and communicate emotions, and to understand emotions in ourselves and others — has been the subject of best-selling books, magazine cover stories, and countless media mentions.
It is widely touted as a solution for problems ranging from relationship issues to the inadequacies of local schools. But the media hype has far outpaced the scientific research on emotional intelligence. Three experts actively researching EI provide a state-of-the-art account of emotional intelligence in theory and practice in What We Know about EI training. They tell us what we know about EI based, not on anecdotes or wishful thinking, but on scientific evidence.
EI promises a new means for achieving success and personal happiness. Coaches and consultants offer EI training and administer EQ tests. However, there is no agreement on how to measure EI, how useful testing is, or even how to define it. What We Know about Emotional Intelligence examines current knowledge of EI. Its goal is to provide practical recommendations for work, school, social, and psychological contexts. The authors explain what EI is—and what it is not. They explore why the concept is popular, how EI develops, and its real-world usefulness in school curricula, the workplace, and treating psychological dysfunction.
