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When getting angry is smart: emotional preferences and emotional intelligence
1Department of Psychology, University of Denver, CO 80208, USA. Brett.Q.Ford@du.edu
Emotion (Washington, D.C.)
|February 8, 2012
Summary
Individuals with higher emotional intelligence prefer useful emotions, even unpleasant ones, for strategic regulation. This suggests that valuing context-appropriate feelings, like anger when confronting others, indicates greater emotional intelligence.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Emotional Intelligence Research
Background:
- Understanding the role of emotion regulation in psychological well-being.
- Exploring the relationship between emotional intelligence and emotion preferences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether individuals with higher emotional intelligence prefer experiencing useful emotions, even if unpleasant.
- To examine the association between emotional intelligence and the preference for contextually appropriate emotions.
Main Methods:
- Measuring emotional intelligence using validated assessments.
- Assessing participants' preferences for experiencing pleasant and unpleasant emotions in various contexts.
- Controlling for trait emotional experiences and cognitive intelligence.
Main Results:
- A significant positive association was found between emotional intelligence and the preference for useful emotions.
- Individuals preferring anger in confrontational contexts scored higher in emotional intelligence.
- Conversely, those preferring happiness in such contexts scored lower in emotional intelligence.
Conclusions:
- Emotional intelligence may be linked to a strategic preference for emotions that serve a purpose, regardless of their valence.
- The findings support the idea that 'wanting to feel bad' can be beneficial in certain situations, enhancing emotional intelligence.
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