What We Know about Emotional Intelligence: How It Affects Learning, Work, Relationships, and Our Mental Health

by Moshe Zeidner, Gerald Matthews, Richard D. Roberts

Sorting out the scientific facts from the unsupported hype about emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence (or EI)—the ability to perceive, regulate, and communicate emotions, to understand emotions in ourselves and others—has been the subject of best-selling books, magazine cover stories, and countless media mentions. It has been 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. In What We Know about Emotional Intelligence , three experts who are actively involved in research into EI offer a state-of-the-art account of EI in theory and practice. They tell us what we know about EI based not on anecdote or wishful thinking but on science. What We Know about Emotional Intelligence looks at current knowledge about EI with the goal of translating it into practical recommendations in work, school, social, and psychological contexts.

Genres: Nonfiction

441 pages, Paperback

First published March 20, 2009

Reviews

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

With the opening chapters setting you up for understanding how science is done (the research, the studies, how to create reliable and valid scoring) including why emotional intelligence hasn't quite become a science because of it's overlap with other topics like personality. Scientists must first devise sustainable tests that measure emotional intelligence and get consistent results. So while this is a "newer" topic, preliminary research looks to understand whether there is an aptitude to emotions: how people can self-regulate as well as understand emotion in others. Does a certain personality lend it self to having higher EI while other personalities have low EI. Also, can we educate people on EI (especially in school) and can we test for it in the workplace to figure out how to best create a good workplace dynamic.

Interesting read that gives me an in-depth, but not too too hard look at scientific research, while also explaining EI.

[Ivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking for a self-help or a self-improvement book - this one may be too academic and dry for you. On the other hand, if you are looking to understand the underlying social tendencies of group dynamics and group acceptance, and want to build up your foundational knowledge for further research - this is the work for you as it delineates areas of interest and presents an full large-scale picture of the Emotional Intelligence studies.

[Karen Hensley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more technical scholarly review of the research and results of research in Emotional Intelligence. If that is the kind of information that you need, and kind of book that you want to read, this may well be a 5 star book for you.

I am just an interested lay-reader and looking for information that I can use in my everyday life, and this book is not trying to provide that information.