A review of the relationship between Emotional Intelligence and psychopathic traits: is the EI construct a mediator between aggression and psychopathy?

Background: In spite of their normal intelligence, individuals with psychopathic traits are usually characterized as having numerous troubles with social and emotional facets in their daily. These deficits that make complicated their adaptation could be related with deficiencies in their Emotional Intelligence (EI) or their ability to perceive, use, understand and regulate emotions. Aims: The aim of the present study is to review the existing evidence of the relationships between EI and the population with psychopathy traits for a better understanding of the emotional problems of these individuals. As well as to looking for evidence of EI as a possible mediator between psychopathy and the aggressive behavior. Methods: Scopus and Medline were searched for finding relevant articles in Spanish and English. Articles with psychopathic trait populations of all ages assessed through different scales were accepted when they were measured together with a self-report or an ability EI test. Results: These studies provide some evidences that participants with psychopathic traits have lower EI than control participants in almost all the articles found. Specifically, it seems that the secondary psychopathy and their impulsivity trait are the most related aspect of these construct with EI. Besides, the gender and age variables seems to play some roles in the link between EI and psychopathy. For its parts, some studies show evidence of the positive relationship between psychopathy and aggressive behavior as in a negative relation between EI and antisocial conduct. However, none of the reviewed articles stablish EI as a mediator variable. Conclusions: The results obtained from the review could be of special importance for future treatment of psychopathic population as well as for the prevention of a possible disruptive behavior in their adolescence or adulthood. Given that a deficit in EI is achieved for psychopath, an EI intervention could act as a protective factor by reducing their emotional and social shortages or prevent them if the training is implemented in an early period of their life and, therefore, improving their inappropriate behavior. Nonetheless, future research is necessary for a better understanding of the role of EI as a mediator between psychopathy and aggression.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Emotional intelligence and hot and cool cognitive control ability

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to perceive, use, understand, and regulate emotions. The EI construct has been organized following three main approaches: performance-based ability model, a self-report mixed model, and a self-report ability model. EI appears to be beneficial to the performance of “hot” (i.e., emotionally laden) cognitive tasks when using performance-based ability models but not when using self-report EI models. The aim of the present study is to analyze the relationship between the three models of EI and cognitive control ability during the performance of hot and “cool” (i.e., non-emotionally laden) “go/no-go” tasks. 187 undergraduate students participated in the experimental design. They completed the three EI tests of interest as well as go/no-go tasks; the stimuli used for the hot and cool cognitive task were faces and geometric figures, respectively. Results show that individuals with higher EI, measured through the performance-based ability test, perform better on a hot cognitive control task. Specifically, we provide evidence for negative associations between the “managing” branch of EI measured through the performance-based ability test of EI and the cognitive control index of the hot go/no-go task; when using the self-report EI instruments, no consistent findings were achieved. The study found no such results with the cool task. Findings in terms of the validity and different implications of the different EI models are discussed.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

The effects of the quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability on the happiness of introvert individuals

Previous research has shown that extraverts are happier than introverts and, although happy introverts exist, it is unclear under what conditions they can achieve happiness. The aim of the present study is to analyze the quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability as a possible factor for happiness in introvert individuals. 1006 adults (42% males) completed measures of extraversion, neuroticism, quality of social relationships, emotion regulation ability and happiness. Results shows that introverts have significantly lower happiness, quality of life, quality of social relationship and emotion regulation ability scores than extraverts. Besides, those individuals with high quality social relationships or high emotion regulation ability were happier. Introverts were happier when they had high scores for quality of social relationships and emotion regulation ability, however the effect size was small. These results suggest that emotion regulation and social relationships are important to understand the relationships between introversion and happiness.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Una aproximación experimental al estudio de la inteligencia emocional y el procesamiento cognitivo cool y hot

Finalmente, el cuarto estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar el estado actual de la cuestión en niños y adolescentes, añadiendo, además, otras variables. Concretamente, se revisaron los distintos estudios que evaluaban la relación existente entre la IE, el control cognitivo y el estatus socioeconómico de los padres sobre la conducta agresiva de los niños y adolescentes; así como aquellos estudios que relacionaban la IE con la capacidad de control cognitivo en dicha población. De forma general, los resultados en adultos mostraron que una mayor habilidad para regular las emociones, medida a través del MHE (pero no a través de los MHA y MMA), se relacionaba con un mejor rendimiento en tareas cognitivas hot, pero no en tareas cool. Por su parte, mediante el uso del MHA no se encontró relación con el rendimiento cognitivo. En cuanto a los resultados obtenidos a través del MMA, estos desplegaron resultados inconsistentes. Finalmente, no se encontraron estudios que relacionaran la IE en niños y adolescentes con la habilidad de control cognitivo ni en tareas cool ni hot. Por tanto, los MHE, en adultos, parecen ser los que de forma más consistente se relacionan con un mejor rendimiento en tareas cognitivas hot.La presente tesis doctoral tuvo como objetivo general analizar la relación existente entre la inteligencia emocional (IE) y el procesamiento cognitivo. Concretamente, tres fueron los objetivos específicos derivados del objetivo general. En primer lugar, se evaluó cuál de los tres modelos vigentes de IE (Modelo de Habilidad basado en Medidas de Ejecución o MHE; Modelo de Habilidad basado en Medidas de Autoinforme o MHA, y Modelo Mixto basado en Medidas de Autoinforme o MMA) presentaba una mayor asociación con tareas específicas de función ejecutiva como el control cognitivo y la memoria de trabajo. En segundo lugar, se analizó si las diferencias en el rendimiento sobre las distintas tareas cognitivas eran dependientes del contenido emocional de las mismas. Finalmente, se trató de analizar algunos de estos contenidos en niños y adolescentes. Para la consecución de los objetivos, tanto generales como específicos, se llevaron a cabo cuatro estudios. En el primer estudio, se realizó una revisión sistemática para conocer el estado actual de la relación entre la IE, medida a través de sus tres modelos, y el procesamiento cognitivo en tareas con contenido emocional (hot) y con contenido neutro (cool). En el segundo estudio, se llevó a cabo un diseño experimental cuyo objetivo general fue el de evaluar la relación existente entre la IE, a través de los tres modelos, y la capacidad de control cognitivo en tareas cool y hot, en adultos. El tercer estudio, también consistió en un diseño experimental cuyo objetivo fue el de evaluar la relación existente entre la IE, a través de los tres modelos, y la memoria de trabajo en tareas cool y hot, de nuevo en adultos

Inteligencia Emocional, CI e impulsividad.

La relación entre la inteligencia (CI) y los procesos cognitivos de control ha sido ampliamente establecida. Varios estudios han mostrado como el CI correlaciona con diferentes índices cognitivos tales como la interferencia de la supresión, la impulsividad y las respuestas de inhibición, medidas a través de diversas tareas experimentales como las denominadas Go No-go, Stroop y flancos. Además, se ha comprobado que estas competencias cognitivas y el CI coinciden en la activación de algunas áreas cerebrales como es el caso del córtex prefrontal. Por el contrario, existe un debate acerca de cuál es el papel de la Inteligencia Emocional (IE) en el rendimiento cognitivo de las personas, así como, un menor conocimiento de su substrato neurológico , aunque ya algunos estudios indican que el córtex prefrontal juega un importante papel en la IE. El objetivo del presente estudio es el de evaluar la contribución de la IE y del CI al rendimiento en una tarea típica de laboratorio que mide procesos cognitivos: el test de Stroop. Nuestra hipótesis es que, no solamente el CI es crucial para el procesamiento cognitivo humano, sino que las competencias relativas a la IE son también esenciales para el mismo. Los resultados muestran una correlación positiva entre el CI y el índice de interferencia de la supresión; mientras que la rama de la IE denominada regulación emocional, medida a través del MSCEIT, correlaciona de forma significativa con el índice de impulsividad. Las limitaciones e implicaciones teóricas de estos resultados para el futuro son abordadas.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

The relationship between the three models of emotional intelligence and psychopathy: a systematic review

Psychopaths are usually characterized as having numerous troubles with social and emotional facets in their daily. In addition, these individuals generate a series of harmful situations to society, such as violence and crime. Due to this, it is very important to find those variables that can reduce these behaviors. In this regard, Emotional Intelligence (EI) or the ability to perceive, use, understand and regulate emotions is a potentially useful variable. EI has been categorized according to three main approaches: performance-based ability, self-report ability and self-report mixed models. Several studies have analyzed the relationship between EI and psychopathy, however inconsistent results have been found. These inconsistencies may be due to the EI model employed to measure it. The objective of our study is to systematically review the previous literature about the relationship between the three models of EI and psychopathy, both in the clinical and total population.Scopus and Medline were searched for finding relevant articles. 29 eligible studies were identified. The results were divided according to the EI model and the population used.The results for both the total and clinical population differ according to the measure of EI employed. Specifically, through performance-based ability models, the majority of studies find a negative relationship between EI and psychopathy, and when EI is measured using self-reports, the results are inconsistent. In conclusion, the results suggest that higher EI abilities measured through performance-based ability models - but not through self-reports - are related to lower psychopathy deficits. Limitations and clinical implications are discussed.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Programas para mejorar la inteligencia emocional desde el modelo de Mayer y Salovey: sus beneficios en el ámbito psicoeducativo

La Inteligencia Emocional (IE) o la habilidad de percibir, usar, entender y regular las emociones ha sido relacionada con numerosos beneficios para las personas. Concretamente, mayores niveles en esta habilidad se han relacionado con una mejor salud tanto física como mental, con un mayor bienestar, un mejor funcionamiento social y rendimiento escolar o una menor agresividad, entre otros. Recientemente, se han desarrollado dos programas para mejorar dichas habilidades: el programa INTEMO e INTEMO +. Dichos programas han sido implementados y validados para adolescentes y están centrados en el aprendizaje de las cuatro habilidades emocionales que abarcan la IE. Diversos estudios demuestran cómo aquellos adolescentes que han sido entrenados con estos programas muestran menor sintomatología clínica que los controles, incluso seis meses después de la finalización del programa. Asimismo, los adolescentes que participaron en el mismo presentaron un mejor ajuste psicosocial y una mayor empatía, así como menores niveles de agresión física y verbal, ira y hostilidad.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Influence of emotional intelligence on performance in an emotionally Laden Cognitive Task: an ERP Study.

A higher level of emotional intelligence (EI), understood as a greater ability to perceive, use, understand, and manage emotions, is associated with an increase in performance on emotionally laden cognitive tasks. The main objective of this research was to study the neural basis underlying the execution of an emotional cognitive control task (GoNogo) as a function of ability EI. Forty-four participants were divided into two groups depending on EI level (High EI vs. Low EI). The participants’ task consisted of an emotional face GoNogo task, in which happy, fear and neutral facial expressions were the go and no go stimulus. Results showed a larger N170 and smaller N2 amplitude for the low EI group than for the high EI one. Greater levels of cognitive control were associated to participants with high EI. Our findings show the importance of studying emotion and cognition interaction to explain our behavior and performance. This work was partially supported by the project Innovation and Development Agency of Andalusia, Spain (SEJ-07325) to Pablo Fernández-Berrocal. Alberto Megías is supported by a Juan de la Cierva postdoctoral fellowship from the Spanish MINECO (FJCI-2015-25600).Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Emotional intelligence and hot and cool working memory capacity

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to perceive, use, understand and manage our emotions and the emotions of others. EI, measured through performance-based ability models, seems to favour performance on hot tasks. The aim of the present study is to analyse the relationship between EI, measured through its three main models, and performance on a hot (emotional) and cool (non-emotional) working memory task. 203 undergraduate students of psychology took part in the experiment. They completed an EI test for each of its three main models (performance-based ability model, self-report ability model and self-report mixed model) and a hot and cool working memory task. We found a better performance for higher EI participants, measured through the performance-based ability model instrument (but not with self-report instruments), in the hot working memory task. This result was obtained for the managing branch of the EI instrument. Similar evidence was not found when using the cool working memory task. Our study takes a step forward in the conceptualization of the EI construct within the domain of cognitive processes. They show that, at least when using hot stimuli, the managing branch of the performance-based ability model of EI is a better determinant measure for the working memory capacity than the self-report models.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Are psychopaths emotionally intelligent?

Psychopathy is a serious personality disorder, characterized by proneness to low anxiety, egocentricity, failure to form close emotional bonds, superficial charm and dishonesty, that has very negative consequences for society as aggression, delinquency and even crime. Therefore, its control and treatment are of great importance. Psychopathy has been related to important emotional deficits as such as a lack of impulse, low empathy and deficits in moral expressions. These findings have led to a growing interest in exploring if psychopathic traits are associated with emotional intelligence (EI) or to the ability to perceive, use, understand, and regulate emotions in one’s self and others. However, the literature exploring this association has revealed conflicting results. The aim of the present study was to provide a reliable estimate of the relationship between psychopathy traits and EI (measured as performance-based ability) through meta-analysis. A quantitative and systematic review of the literature using Scopus, Medline, Pubmed, and PsicINFO and for both Spanish and English studies that included measures of EI and psychopathy, showed a total of 13 studies meeting inclusion criteria with a combined sample of 2401 participants. The meta-analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between both constructs, showing that higher psychopathic trait scores are related to lower EI levels. We propose several future research lines to clarify possible gaps and ambiguities in the current literature and a set of interesting clinical implications for the prevention, evaluation, and treatment of psychopathy by including EI factors in traditional models of psychopathy.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech