Emotional Intelligence, Hope and Optimism, and Wisdom Study Guide

Definition of Intelligence

"know thyself"; ideal understanding of human behavior, morals and thought, because to understand oneself is to understand other humans as well

Sternberg's Triarchic Theory

analytical (problem-solving), creative (solve novelty problems), practical (common sense)

Gardner's Theory of "Smarts"

linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, naturalist

Daniel Goleman's Book

capacity to recognize and manage one's own emotions and those of others in significant interpersonal relationships; success at work/in life due to emotional intelligence

Three Conceptualizations of Emotional Intelligence

1. Set of personality trays (trait-based)

2. Set of abilities for processing emotional information (ability-based)

3. Streams: trait, ability, and expanded model (social skills and mixed)

Salovey and Mayer's Model of Emotional Intelligence

1. Perceiving: perception and expression

2. Using: facilitation of thought and use

3. Understanding

4. Managing

Assessment of Trait-based Approach

Self-report instruments or observer-rated instruments (broad)

Ex: SSEIT: higher scores indicate greater emotional intelligence; assesses 4 factors of Salovey and Mayer's model

Strengths and Weaknesses to Trait-Based Assessment

Strengths:

Encompass broad definition

Easy to develop, administer, and score

Good face validity in occupational context

Weaknesses:

Questionable theoretical basis

People are not good judges of self

Faking

Assessment of Ability-based Approach

Performing tasks with right/wrong answers (narrow)

Ex: MSCEIT: uses Salovey and Mayer model to assess emotional responses in different situations

Strengths and Weaknesses to Ability-Based Assessment

Strengths:

Limits of abilities

Good construct validity

Cannot fake

Engaging

Weaknesses:

IQ vs EI

How do you decide correct answers

Narrow Definition

Long tests

Lack face validity in occupational context

Poor reliability/validity

Differences between Assessments of Emotional Intelligence

Trait-based assessment: broad view of construct

Ability-based approach: narrow definition of the construct

Psychological Correlates of Emotional Intelligence

Higher scores associated with well-being, verbal intelligence, empathy, parental warmth

Predicts educational achievement

Behavioral Correlates of Emotional Intelligence

Higher prosocial behavior

Lower levels of aggression

Lower levels of substance abuse

Higher function in social relationships

Higher rating of leadership

Higher ratings of employee's performance

Interventions to Improve EI

Educational: programs (social-emotional learning), training (mindfulness, resilience)

Workplace: training (EI), leadership development programs, coaching/mentoring

Way to Enhance EI

self-monitoring to increase emotional awareness

self-regulation to manage distressing emotions (healthy ways)

communication (emotional literacy: truthful statements of affection; discuss emotions)

Negative Associations with EI

Intrapersonal: Psychological health (bullying, borderline, anxiety); Heightened stress reactivity

Interpersonal: emotional manipulation/deception; antisocial behavior

Life Orientation Test

measures dispositional optimism; higher the score, higher optimism

Hope Scale

hope involves willpower (desire/energy) and way power (pathways/ability to generate strategies)

Hope

something good you want to happen in the future; confidence In the future

Dispositional Optimism

personality trait characterized by optimistic expectations; expect good outcomes across important life domains

Optimism as Explanatory Style

attributional style to explain events

Hope and Optimism Relation to Well-being

Positive:

positive mood/morale

psychological health

self-mastery

self-esteem

Negative:

depression

anxiety

stress

loneliness

Research on Hope and Optimism Relation to Well-being

Aspinwall & Taylor: college students took LOT; higher scores beginning of semester --> less stress, depression, etc. at end

Carver & Gaines: expectant mothers took LOT; higher scores end of pregnancy --> less depression after birth

Realistic Optimism

firmly planted in reality; in viewing the past, give selves and other benefit of doubt; see current obstacles as challenges, look expectantly to future

Unrealistic Optimism

people believed that compared to peers, the are less likely to experience negative events and more likely to experience positive events

Realistic Optimism or Unrealistic Optimism

realistic optimism: motivates; more like to initiate action; more likely to persist when encountering obstacles

Positive Illusions

see behavior, attributes, and self in enhanced life; unrealistic sense of personal control; sense that future will be rosier than facts suggest

Explanatory Style of Optimists vs Pessimists

Optimists:

temporary

specific

external

Pessimists:

stable

global

internal

Ways for Fostering Optimism

goal setting: identify goals, list important goals under each, make vivid, concrete, and manageable

enhance positive thinking/attributional style: distract from adversity; distancing

flourish in communities: enhance social support network to rely on good/bad times; activity in faith community

ABCDE Model

ABC: identify adversity, belief, and consequence

D: disputation: evaluate evidence, alternatives, implications, and usefulness

E: energization

Developmental Trajectory of Hope and Optimism

early childhood: forming; parenting style and social experiences; goal-setting and problem-solving

adolescence: fluctuates; self-awareness, peer influence, and abstract thinking; long-term goal setting

adulthood: stable; could be influenced by changes in health

Implicit Theory of Wisdom

research into characteristics of wisdom

Wisdom (implicit)

knowledge that is social, interpersonal, and psychological

Characteristics of Wise People

intuition and openness to unconscious processes

ability to find meaning in both positive and negative life experiences

openness to experience

sense of humor that recognizes life ironies

recognition of limits of knowledge

genuine compassion and tolerance for other

Explicit Theory of Wisdom

psychological theories: personality, cognitive ability, and personality+cognitive ability/performance in life.

Personal Characteristics/Disposition/Stage of Life

Erickson's developmental theory: integrity vs. despair: personal integrity is achieved by those who accept the events that make up their lives and integrate into a personal narrative that allows them to face death without fear; acceptance of imperfection in one's self, parents, and life

Post Formal Cognitive Though/Dialectical Thinking

discourse between two or more people holding different points of view about a subject who wish to establish the truth of the matter guided by reasoned arguments

logic, analysis, critic, evaluation

handle paradox, difficult issues, transcend self-centeredness, adopt broader perspective

Emergent Wisdom

unique kind of thinking: discerning, respecting, engaging, and transforming

Wisdom as Excellence/Balance

excellence in performance of one's life: knowledge with extraordinary scope, depth, measure, and balance

balance: practical intelligence: tacit knowledge to solve problems that achieves common good

Predictors of Wisdom

intelligence

personality dispositions (open to experiences)

life experiences

cognitive styles (judicial and progressive)

Wisdom Development

5% can develop wisdom

increases during adolescence/young adulthood

age+professional experience

Methods for Improving Wisdom

be open to experience

stay aware of limits of human knowledge/intuition

seek to understand significant problems from different povs

be aware of how thinking is swayed by personal values/opinions/assumptions

study exemplars

balance own interests with interests of other

effective problem-solving