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INTRODUCTION Third, as with measurement, part of the challenge is to identify what is unique about EI, compared with other constructs. As we have already alluded, we can construct theories of clinical anxiety, for example, that identify abnormalities in information-processing and self-regulation that contribute to pathology (Wells & Matthews, 2005; Zeidner & Matthews, 2011). However, it is not clear how linking these abnormalities to EI advances understanding; theories of anxiety were doing just fine before EI came along. Similarly, it is unclear whether it is useful to separate theories of emotion-regulation from theories of stress and coping. Fourth—and perhaps most profoundly—we need to establish that the attributes of EI are actually adaptive, that is, they help people to thrive and avoid harm in real life. This is not a given. We cannot assume that a person who is, for example, especially quick to identify emotions in photos of faces in the lab has any real advantage in living. Research on stress (Zeidner & Saklofske, 1996) offers a cautionary message. One of the questions here is which coping strategies are most successful, but, even after extensive research, it is hard to provide a clear answer. How well a strategy works depends on the source of stress, and how well the individual can implement the strategy. Furthermore, significant life events usually have a range of outcomes so that it may be difficult to determine whether one set of outcomes is “better” than others. For example, employing Machiavellian strategies at work may provide short-term benefits but long-term harm (once coworkers figure out what you are doing). Other attributes of EI may also have a rather two-edged nature. Empathy may bring you closer to others but also impose the burden of their suffering on you. As the clinical literature shows (Wells, 2000), too much attention to one’s own emotional states encourages rumination and keeps one’s problems at the forefront of awareness. Thus, it is important not only to identify specific processes that are related to EI, but also to explore what the implications of those processes are for real-life well-being. 31 Matthews_PTR_Ch 01_12-10-11_1-42.indd 31 10/12/2011 10:46:55 AM
CHAPTER 1 APPLICATIONS A large part of the appeal of EI comes from its potential to contribute to solutions to personal and societal problems. The assumption here (e.g., Goleman, 1995) is that, individually and collectively, modern Western culture has tended to denigrate emotions in favor of high-brow intellectualism. We have cut ourselves off from emotionally fulfilling goals—typically, social in nature—and laid ourselves open to a host of emotional problems. Indeed, psychologists from a variety of research areas have voiced somewhat similar concerns. Twenge and Campbell (2009) argue that excessive narcissism (inflated self-image) has corroded communal ties and increased people’s vulnerability to anxiety and other emotional disorders. Halpern (2006) has drawn attention to the increasing pressures on social well-being that result from escalating conflicts between work and family. So, even though some popular accounts may be overblown, it is reasonable to look at what psychologists can do to address social issues by improving emotional functioning. The issue is whether understanding and even changing EI in reallife situations is the most productive strategy. We return to this issue in later chapters. For now, we will briefly highlight some of the potential challenges for application in the fields of occupational, clinical, and educational psychology. Occupational Psychology Views of work psychology often seem shaped by a 1930s-style production line mentality. Workers have a sharply defined job description, made up of a number of specific tasks. The main task for occupational psychologists is to align worker skills with task requirements. This can be done either by selecting and training workers so that all have the requisite skills and desired interests, or by designing tasks so that existing workers can do them proficiently and with sufficient motivation. 32 Matthews_PTR_Ch 01_12-10-11_1-42.indd 32 10/12/2011 10:46:55 AM
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Page 46 and 47: INTRODUCTION Basic Processes in EI.
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Page 60 and 61: INTRODUCTION emotional functioning.

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