Can Emotional Intelligence Be Increased?
Can emotional intelligence be enhanced and learned? Despite what the popular press says, we really don’t know. As with any intelligence, it may be extremely difficult to raise one’s emotional intelligence. Consider, for example the lessons learned from decades of early intervention programs. But, isn’t it a fundamental principle of emotional intelligence that it, unlike IQ, can be raised? Certainly the popular press makes such a claim. Many practitioners earn their livelihood by claiming that emotional intelligence can be increased. Even if we accept the personality-based models of emotional intelligence, the notion that we can change, and easily change, basic personality traits just isn’t correct. Can pessimists become optimists by taking a workshop? Can anxiety be cured easily? Certainly they cannot. Can pessimists learn to examine their thinking style and at times, alter their style? Yes, this seems possible. When it comes to an ability-based model of emotional intelligence, we need
