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Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Emotion Regulation
Published on: August 26, 2011
A behavioral genetic study of trait emotional intelligence
Philip A Vernon1, K V Petrides, Denis Bratko
1Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. vernon@uwo.ca
Trait emotional intelligence (EI) is a personality trait with significant genetic influence. Studies show heritability estimates for trait EI align with those of major personality dimensions, supporting its conceptualization as a stable, inherited characteristic.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Genetics
Background:
- Emotional intelligence (EI) models often propose unique mental abilities.
- Trait emotional intelligence theory posits these abilities are permutations of personality traits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To empirically demonstrate the heritability of trait EI.
- To compare the genetic influence on trait EI with that of other personality traits.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Family study design with 133 high-school students and their parents.
- Study 2: Twin study design with 213 monozygotic (MZ) and 103 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs.
Main Results:
- Family study yielded heritability estimates of .18 (facet), .25 (factor), and .32 (global trait EI).
- Twin study yielded heritabilities of .42 (facet), .44 (factor), and .42 (global trait EI).
Conclusions:
- Findings support the conceptualization of emotional intelligence as a personality trait.
- Genetic influence on trait EI is comparable to major personality dimensions.
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