recognise emotions in yourself and others,
and to apply that understanding in behaviour
and relationships. People with high EI
have more empathy and self-awareness,
and are better able to put themselves in
others’ shoes. Women usually score higher
than men, especially on empathy. The
concept arose when traditional IQ tests
were criticised for measuring only a narrow
range of intellectual skills, and attempts
were made to replace them with multiple
intelligences such as musical, moral and
bodily intelligence.
There is some evidence that bullies
tend to be low on EI, while religious
believers score higher. Many other claims
have been made, such as that EI can
predict leadership skills and teamwork.
Yet all these have been challenged on
the grounds that any effect disappears
when IQ and personality are accounted
for. Therefore, the idea that emotional
intelligence is separate from general
intelligence remains controversial.
