Why (and how) the emotional intelligence field should absolutely stop digging its own grave?

Mikolajczak, Moïra [UCL]

Over the last decade or so, the emotional intelligence (EI) field has been divided by virulent controversies about the nature of EI (i.e. ability or trait). In addition to slowing down the research and publication process within the field, these controversies have also undermined the credibility of EI research outside the field. In this paper, I start by summarizing and critically examining the main arguments of each perspective. Based on this review, I suggest that most arguments are ill-founded, and that each perspective has actually contributed to extend the scientific knowledge about emotional skills’ underlying processes and outcomes. In order to allow the field continuing growing, it seems crucial not only to enable both perspectives to exist in their own right but also to integrate them in a unifying model. To this aim, I propose a three-level model of emotional skills (knowledge – abilities – dispositions). I conclude this paper by emphasizing the implications of such a model for both research and practice.