Avances en el estudio de la Inteligencia Emocional

Avances en el estudio de la Inteligencia Emocional
The synthetic factor includes the remaining
3 of the 12 ego functions:
(10) Synthetic-Integrative Functioning (i.e.,
integration of experiences),
(11) Adaptive Regression in Service of the
Ego (i.e. use of fantasy for adaptation),
(12) Mastery –Competence.
The Rorschach Inkblot Method (Exner,
1993) assesses unconscious projective processes
through analysis of the responses to 10 ambiguous
inkblot cards. The quantitative structural system of
scoring developed by Exner (1993), establishes reliability
and validity and allows for statistical analysis.
The advantage of the Rorschach in the study is
the direct access to unconscious processes (that by
passes social and cognitive filters) through the participants
responses rather than through inference
from self report formats such as the DSQ and the
EFA. The ambiguity of inkblots activate unconscious
processes during the task of forming percepts
and patterns of perceptual style emerge and serve as
indicators of dynamic personality configurations.
The Rorschach protocols for a subsample of study
2 participants were examined in relation to the
MEIS in this exploratory analysis. There are several
ego function indicators from the combinations
of Rorschach variables and indexes are associated
with the processing of emotions, modulation of
affect through cognition, and degree of arousal
from emotional stimuli. One particular indicator –
the Affectivity ratio – was analyzed due to its particularly
emotional nature. This ratio is based on the
frequency of responses to the achromatic (black)
and chromatic (colored) cards and represents a degree
of emotional stimulation in reaction to the
cards. It is indicator of the degree of unconscious
emotional reactivity.
Study 1. Hypotheses, findings and implications
The question for study 1 was “What is the relationship
between EI and defense mechanisms?” The
hypotheses were that (1) EI will correlate positively
with adaptive personality as represented by the use
of mature (adaptive) defense mechanisms on the
DSQ since both relate to adaptation and (2) the EI
perception and regulation components of the MEIS
would correlate more closely with defenses due to
the similarity of functions since defenses influence
the accurate perception of the environment and
serve to contain and regulate unconscious impulses.
The major results are that overall EI (MEIS
total score) correlated .18 (p < .05) with adaptive
defense style. While this is a small correlation, it
does suggest that a positive relationships exists in
the expected directions between the two variables
and supports the first hypothesis. The emotional
perception and regulation components however,
were uncorrelated with the DSQ which is contrary
to the predictions of similar functioning and does
not support the second hypothesis. An interesting
finding was that the MEIS Knowledge component
correlated .23 (p < .01) with adaptive defense style
and -.23 (p < .01) with maladaptive defense style.
This relationship was not hypothesized and leads to
a refinement of conceptualization on the relationships
between defenses and EI.
One implication from the correlation between
emotional knowledge and defenses is that
our development of emotion concepts is related to
the accurate cognitive processing of the social environment.
Adaptive defenses minimally distort
the perception of the environment and allow the individual
to experience both pleasant and unpleasant
emotions in the actual social world. Maladaptive
defenses by contrast, distort the perception of the
self and the world, (and therefore the emotions
contained within) leading to incomplete and /or inaccurate
social-emotional information. The development
of emotional knowledge, like the formation
of any schema or concept, depends upon
accurate information about the world. Emotional
knowledge will be increased and supported by adaptive
dynamic personalities. In turn, accurate knowledge
of the emotional environment can be adaptive
and may lead to decrease the need for the
maladaptive, distorting type of defenses.
Study 2. Hypotheses, findings and implications
The major question from study 2 was “What is the
relationship between EI and the major ego functions?’
The hypotheses were that EI would correlate
positively with adaptive personality as represented
by the strength of ego functions on the EFA. A
summary of the major findings is presented here.
For a complete review of methods and results see
Pellitteri (2005).
As described above, research on the EFA supports
a two-factor model and structure. The MEIS
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