“Decent human being”. Goleman in 1995 restructured it and expressed high EI, “maturity und character”. All these theories about EI are speculative. It is also clear that EI was misinterpreted in literature, so the research community did not accept them as fact. However, the claim on a large scale that EI is a key to success in life was flawed. This reasoning was not as clear & logical as Mayer & Salovey’s 1993 statement that scientists had not yet proved that emotion intelligence could predict anything, or that it can be distinguished from general intelligence. The construct, however, is too new. Goleman presented a modified version of several models. He then highlighted the changes in emotional intelligence throughout life. Goleman presented the idea of raising awareness among researchers. He suggested that educators, parents, and researchers focus their attention on children with deficits in this area.

Emotional intelligence can be learned through life experiences, learning interventions and regular training. Emotional intelligence showed an increase in participants who took part in EI training programs compared to those who weren’t. James Dozier conceived of emotional intelligence long before EI was a term. His ideas were: “The ability perceive and express emotion. Assimilate emotion within thought. Understand and reason with emotions. Regulate emotion in yourself and others.” EI can also be related to personal and social intelligence. EI could also be defined as the person’s ability to handle difficult situations.

IQ has been viewed as a fixed value that remains constant throughout life. However, EQ changes as we age and learn more. Recent research shows that Emotional skills and EI are not static. They change as you age. These skills can be enhanced by training and intervention programs, which is impossible to do with IQ. Different frames and models were developed to illustrate the different dimensions in emotional intelligence. Goleman’s model is widely considered to be the best and most successful of all models. His model is very comprehensive and has been referred many times by researchers.

Raven Baron created a self assessment measure of EI for individuals in 1997. It was then available to all researchers. Bar-On defines EI “a range of non-cognitive capabilities, abilities & skills that impact one’s success in dealing with environmental demands & stress”. EI is a collection of non-cognitive abilities, capabilities, and skills that directly affect one’s overall psychological well being (i.e. EI is a measure of one’s mental health or current mental state. Important to remember that the emotional quotient (EQ), unlike IQ, is not a static construct. It changes with age. EI is based upon learned habits.

Salovey theory (Goleman 2000 P.68-69) states that emotional intelligence can be derived from the following principles.

Self-awareness refers to the ability to understand oneself and recognize others’ feelings. Understanding oneself is only possible if you are able to recognize your feelings and monitor them. This ability makes one confident about himself and the decisions he/she makes. Higher self-awareness results in greater assertiveness, self confidence, drive to complete tasks, cognitive ability to handle complex situations, respect for diversity, humor, and respect for learning & teaching. People with lower self-awareness scores are more egoistic and resilient. They also show a willingness to accept frustrations & delays, and may be more narcissistic.

Emotion handling, or self management. This refers to the ability to control negative emotions. It is about self-awareness. You can use this ability to manage your emotions and deal with current situations. This ability is more common in people with low self-control than people with it. People with this ability have greater life satisfaction and are better at managing their emotions.

Self-motivation – A person’s ability to channel emotions towards a specific goal. Self motivation is essential for creativity and excellence.

Empathy is the ability to recognize the emotions of others. Empathy is the ability or capacity to understand and share the feelings and needs in others. Empathy helps people gain a better understanding of other people’s situations. It can be hard to develop empathy. Empathy requires listening to others’ verbal and non-verbal messages.