Emotional Intelligence: Instruction Effects and Sex Differences in Emotional Management Abilities

• Published in: Journal of individual differences Vol. 29; no. 2; pp. 105 - 115
• Main Authors: Freudenthaler, H. Harald, Neubauer, Aljoscha C., Haller, Ursula
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hogrefe & Huber Publishers 2008; Hogrefe Publishing
• Subjects: Depression (Emotion); Emotional Control; Emotional Intelligence; Female; Human; Human Sex Differences; Life Satisfaction; Male; Personality Traits; Teaching; maximum performance; emotional intelligence; emotional management; life satisfaction; depression; sex differences; typical performance
• ISSN: 1614-0001; 2151-2299
• DOI: 10.1027/1614-0001.29.2.105

Based on our previous research on intrapersonal and interpersonal emotional management abilities (EMA; Freudenthaler & Neubauer, 2005, 2007), the present study examined the effects of instruction (TP: typical performance vs. MP: maximum performance) on EMA scores, using a within-subjects design (n = 151). In addition, the relations of TP-EMA and MP-EMA to sex, cognitive intelligence, and personality traits, as well as indicators of well-being, were tested. Results showed not only lower means but also higher reliabilities in the TP condition than in the MP condition. While women outperformed men in interpersonal EMA in both instruction conditions, men scored higher than women on intrapersonal TP-EMA. As expected, only MP-EMA were significantly correlated with cognitive intelligence. In contrast, TP-EMA showed more overlap with personality and were also substantially related to life satisfaction and depression. Most of the correlations between TP-EMA and predicted outcome measures remained significant when sex, personality (Big Five), and cognitive intelligence were controlled for. In sum, the findings provide further evidence of the importance to distinguish between typical and maximum performance in research on emotional intelligence measures and their application.