Emotional Intelligence (EI) & Emotional Quotient (EQ)

1. Emotional Intelligence (EI):

Definition: A set of skills and abilities related to recognizing, understanding, and managing emotions in yourself and others.

Origin: Popularized by psychologists Peter Salovey & John Mayer (1990) and later by Daniel Goleman (1995).

Components (Goleman’s Model):

1. Self-Awareness – recognizing your own emotions and their impact.
2. Self-Regulation – managing disruptive emotions and impulses.
3. Motivation – using emotions to stay driven and achieve goals.
4. Empathy – understanding emotions in others.
5. Social Skills – building healthy relationships and effective communication.

Key Point: EI is the actual ability or competence you demonstrate in real life.

2. Emotional Quotient (EQ):

Definition: The measurement of your Emotional Intelligence through tests, assessments, or observations.

Analogy: Just like IQ is a score for intelligence, EQ is a score for EI.

Measurement Tools:

Self-report tests (e.g., EQ-i by Reuven Bar-On).

Ability-based tests (e.g., Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test – MSCEIT).

Key Point: EQ is quantitative; it gives you a number or level (low, average, high) of your emotional intelligence.

3. Example in Real Life (Couples):

Couple A (High EI):

One partner notices the other is stressed after a long day, listens patiently, validates their feelings, and offers comfort instead of judgment.

Result: Conflict is avoided, and emotional closeness grows.

Couple B (Low EI):

One partner ignores the other’s stress, gets irritated at small things, and dismisses their feelings with “You’re overreacting.”

Result: Misunderstanding escalates, leading to arguments and emotional distance.

4. Simplified Difference:

EI = The ability itself (theory, practice, skillset).

EQ = The measurement of that ability (score, test result).

Think of it this way:

EI is like “fitness.”

EQ is like your “fitness test score.”