Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 2, 2026
08:33
A Cross-Disciplinary and Multi-Modal Experimental Design for Studying Near-Real-Time Authentic Examination Experiences
Published on: September 4, 2019
7.4K
Emotional intelligence predicts academic performance: A meta-analysis
Carolyn MacCann1, Yixin Jiang1, Luke E R Brown1
1School of Psychology.
Psychological Bulletin
|December 13, 2019
Summary
Emotional intelligence (EI) shows a positive association with academic performance. Ability EI, in particular, demonstrates a stronger link, highlighting its importance alongside intelligence and personality for student success.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Educational institutions invest in developing students' social and emotional skills, including emotional intelligence (EI).
- These programs aim for personal growth and enhanced academic achievement.
- The relationship between student EI and academic performance requires comprehensive examination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a meta-analysis assessing the association between student emotional intelligence (EI) and academic performance.
- To differentiate the impact of various EI types (ability, self-rated, mixed) on academic outcomes.
- To identify potential mechanisms and moderators influencing the EI-academic performance link.
Main Methods:
- A robust variance estimation meta-analysis was performed on data from 158 citations.
- Included 1,246 effect sizes from 42,529 students.
- Analyzed variance explained by EI after controlling for intelligence and personality traits.
Main Results:
- An overall positive association (ρ = .20) was found between EI and academic performance.
- Ability EI (ρ = .24) showed a stronger correlation than self-rated (ρ = .12) or mixed EI (ρ = .19).
- EI was the third most important predictor of academic performance, following intelligence and conscientiousness.
Conclusions:
- Emotional intelligence, particularly ability EI, is a significant correlate of academic performance.
- Mechanisms include emotion regulation, social relationships, and content overlap.
- Future research should explore causal directions and specific EI components' impact.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Multiple Intelligences Theory
8.7K
Howard Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligence proposes that there are nine distinct types of intelligence, each reflecting different ways of interacting with the world. Introduced in 1983 and expanded in subsequent years, Gardner's framework challenges the traditional notion of a single, generalized intelligence.
8.7K
01:30Socioemotional Development during Infancy
375
Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Primary Temperament Types
375
01:29The Influence of Affect on Cognition
233
Positive affect significantly influences cognitive processes, including evaluation, memory, creativity, and social judgments. Compared to negative affect, positive emotional states promote more favorable interpretations of stimuli, cognitive flexibility, and heuristic processing. These effects highlight emotions' powerful role in shaping how individuals perceive, remember, and interact with the world.Influence on Evaluation and AttributionWhen individuals experience positive affect, they are...
233
01:29The Influence of Cognition on Affect
161
Cognition plays a pivotal role in shaping emotional experiences, as demonstrated by Schachter and Singer’s two-factor theory of emotion. According to this model, emotion arises from a combination of physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation. The body’s physiological response to stimuli is ambiguous and only gains emotional significance through cognitive labeling. For instance, an increased heart rate and adrenaline surge while standing near an attractive person may be...
161
01:29Environmental Influences on Intelligence
810
Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children...
810
01:30Biological Influences on Intelligence
433
Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter...
433