Emotional regulationEmotion regulation, Emotional dysregulationThe ability to notice, understand and manage emotions — how strongly they are felt, how long they last and how they are expressed — so they do not take over. It is a skill that can be learned.
Emotional intelligence
Also known as EI, EQ, Emotional quotient
The ability to recognise, understand and manage your own emotions and to read other people's. It is a real, measurable skill that can improve with practice, though popular claims about it are often inflated.
In Psychology
Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to notice emotions in yourself and others, understand what they mean, use them to guide your thinking, and manage them well. Psychologists Peter Salovey and John Mayer defined it in 1990, and Daniel Goleman's 1995 bestseller made it a household word.
Researchers use it in two ways. Ability models treat EI as a set of skills, measured with performance tests. Trait or mixed models add personality qualities such as optimism and motivation, usually measured with self-report questionnaires — which match the ability tests poorly and are easy to fake. Many workplace "EQ tests" are of this second kind, so they say more about how you see yourself than what you can do.
Ability EI is linked to better relationships and work performance, and school social–emotional learning programmes show benefits. Its core skill overlaps heavily with . Read more on emotional intelligence.
Related terms
- Big Five personality traitsBig Five, Big 5The most widely used scientific model of personality. It describes people on five broad scales: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism.
- Self-esteemSelf esteem, Self-worthThe overall opinion you hold of your own worth. Low self-esteem is common and can change; it is not a diagnosis, though it often travels with depression and anxiety.
- MindfulnessMindfulness meditation, MBCTPaying deliberate, non-judging attention to the present moment — breathing, body, surroundings, and thoughts as they come and go. It is a skill used in several therapies and for everyday stress.