EI Age Atkins and Stough Conference Presentation 2005

7/26/2019 EI Age Atkins and Stough Conference Presentation 2005

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EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND AGE

DOES EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE CHANGE WITH AGE?

Paul W.B. AtkinsAustralian National University

National Graduate !"ool o# Mana$e%entir &oland Wilson Buildin$' M!Coy Cir!uit

Can(erra' ACT )*))

AUT&ALIA+e,%ail- aul.atkins/anu.edu.au0

+tel- 123 * 23*4 56760

Con tou$"Pro#essor in Co$nitive Neuros!ien!e

Dire!tor' 8in(urne Centre #or Neurosy!"olo$y8in(urne University o# Te!"nolo$y

PO Bo9 *35 :a8t"orn ;i!


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A.STACT

W"at is t"e relations"i (et8een e%otional intelli$en!e and a$e? tudies o# !"an$es in

ositive and ne$ative e##e!t a!ross t"e adult li#esan su$$est t"at' desite t"e additional

e%otional !"allen$es t"at older adults #a!e' t"ey e9erien!e %ore su(@e!tive 8ell,(ein$. In

addition' studies o# a##e!tive ro!essin$ a!ross t"e li#esan su$$est t"at older adults %ay (e

%ore adet at re$ulatin$ t"eir e%otions t"an youn$er adults. Taken to$et"er' t"ese #indin$s

su$$est t"at arti!ular ase!ts o# e%otional intelli$en!e %ay in!rease 8it" a$e. In t"is

study 8e e9a%ine a$e e##e!ts in t"ree sa%les usin$ t8o %easures o# e%otional a(ility- t"e

sel#,reort UEIT and t"e a(ilities,(ased MCEIT. or t"e sel#,reort %easure e##e!t sies

8ere s%all or non,e9istent. At t"e su(s!ale level' it 8as #ound t"at t"e e9tent to 8"i!"

e%otions are used in ro(le% solvin$ in!reases a!ross t"e li#esan' arti!ularly #or #e%ales.

In addition' in t"e lar$er sa%le' t"ere 8as eviden!e t"at t"e a(ility to !ontrol stron$

e%otions %ay de!line a!ross t"e li#esan. T"ere 8ere no si$ni#i!ant a$e e##e!ts #or t"e

MCEIT. T"e i%li!ations o# t"ese results are e9lored #or e%otional intelli$en!e and

develo%ental t"eory.

*


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W"at is t"e relations"i (et8een e%otional intelli$en!e and a$e? T"is uestion "as

ro#ound i%li!ations #or or$anisations as t"e 8ork#or!e $ets older and in!reasin$

e%otional de%ands are %ade uon 8orkers. Older adults #a!e a variety o# !"allen$es t"at

%i$"t (e e9e!ted to indu!e ne$ative a##e!t su!" as t"e loss o# loved ones' di%inis"ed

"ealt" and unrealised e9e!tations. et' arado9i!ally' t"e eviden!e su$$ests t"at older

eole are %ore a(le to %aintain and even in!rease su(@e!tive 8ell,(ein$ t"an youn$er

eole. In $eneral' ne$ative a##e!t de!lines 8it" a$e 8"ile ositive a##e!t aears to

in!rease +Carstensen' un$' C"arles' *))


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(ot" ositive and ne$ative e%otions si%ultaneously. T"is aarent !aa!ity to %ore

e##e!tively re$ulate e%otions arallels eviden!e #ro% studies su$$estin$ neuroti!is%

de!reases 8it" a$e +Costa' :er(st' M!Crae' ie$ler' *)))0.

o!ioe%otional ele!tivity T"eory su$$ests t"at t"ese !"an$es result #ro% a $ro8in$

a8areness o# t"e li%ited ti%e t"at t"e erson "as le#t in t"eir lives +Carstensen et al.' *))


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s!"e%ata and !o$nitive ro!esses #or inte$ratin$ e9erien!e 8it" t"e sel# and %ana$in$

e%otional e9erien!e. Wit" in!reasin$ %aturity-

H t"e individual is a(le to a!kno8led$e !on#li!tin$ #eelin$s 8it"in sel# and ot"er.

Overall' t"e lan$ua$e o# sel#,re$ulation (e!o%es %ore vivid and se!i#i!' and

less stereotyi!al. Mature !o$nitive,e%otional !o%le9ity t"us is eviden!ed (y

a lan$ua$e t"at is !o%le9' nonstereotyi!al and nondualisti!F t"at tolerates

intra, and interindividual !on#li!tF and t"at are!iates t"e uniueness o#

individual e9erien!e. +La(ouvie,;ie# et al.' 3656- =*20

tudies o# e$o develo%ent +Loevin$er' 36720' 8"i!" is related to t"e level o# !o$nitive,

a##e!tive !o%le9ity +La(ouvie,;ie# Medler' *))*0' "ave su$$ested t"at !o$nitive,

a##e!tive !o%le9ity is likely to (e unrelated to t"e !aa!ity to oti%ise ositive a##e!t. or

e9a%le' sta$e o# e$o develo%ent "as !onsistently (een #ound to (e unrelated to e%otional

ad@ust%ent as %easured (y %easures o# li#e satis#a!tion and ositive a##e!t +:elson Wink'

3657F La(ouvie,;ie# Medler' *))*F M!Crae Costa' 365


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In s"ort' and e%"asiin$ t"e a##e!tive do%ain o# %ost interest "ere' individuals at later

sta$es o# e$o develo%ent "ave (etter i%ulse !ontrol' "ave %ore !o%le9 and inte$rated

!o$nitive,a##e!tive ro!esses' are %ore likely to rese!t' tolerate and !olla(orate 8it"

ot"ers' and are %ore likely to (e a(le to di##erentiate' !o%%uni!ate and use e%otions in

t"eir t"inkin$ and ro(le% solvin$. Manners and Durkin +*))3- 4=


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relations"i uality' alt"ou$" t"ey did de%onstrate a si$ni#i!ant relations"i (et8een a$e

and a##e!tive oti%isation. Carstensen et al. +*)))0 reorted a nonsi$ni#i!ant !orrelation o# .

)7 (et8een a$e and ositive e%otion. T"is 8as !o%ara(le to t"e si$ni#i!ant !orrelation o# .

3) in a %u!" lar$er sa%le reorted (y Mro!ek and olar +36650. T"us t"e relations"i

(et8een a$e and e%otional varia(les are "as (een %odest even in studies t"at relied uon

t"e !olle!tion o# %u!" %ore e9tensive and detailed data t"an t"e sel#,reort %easure

des!ri(ed (elo8.

T"e distin!tion (et8een oti%isation and !o%le9ity %ay (e !"ara!terised in ter%s o#

di##erin$ $oals #or a##e!tive re$ulation. Ot"er aut"ors "ave roosed a si%ilar distin!tion

(et8een a "edoni!J aroa!" to e%otion re$ulation t"at #o!uses on in!reasin$ ositive

a##e!t and de!reasin$ ne$ative a##e!t' and a eudai%oni!J aroa!" t"at #o!uses onreresentin$ t"e 8orld %ore a!!urately in !o%le9' %ultivalen!ed 8ays' t"ere(y in!reasin$

individuation and %eanin$ in li#e +&yan De!i' *))30.

Mayer aloveyJs +36670 notion o# e%otional intelli$en!e is related to t"is idea o#

!o$nitive,a##e!tive !o%le9ity' re!o$nisin$ as it does t"at develo%ent is a!!o%anied (y

an in!reasin$ a(ility to er!eive' understand and %ana$e e%otions. :o8ever' it %ay also

in!ororate ase!ts o# a##e!tive oti%isation. e!i#i!ally t"e !aa!ity to #a!ilitate ositive

e%otional e9erien!es in sel# and ot"ers see%s to re#le!t %ore o# a "edoni! t"an eudai%oni!

e%"asis. We %i$"t t"ere#ore' e9e!t t"at su(s!ales 8it"in a %easure o# e%otional

intelli$en!e %i$"t s"o8 di##erent atterns o# !"an$e a!ross t"e li#esan.

In su%%ary' t"ere is eviden!e t"at older adults are %ore adet at re$ulatin$ t"eir e%otional

e9erien!e and oti%isin$ ositive a##e!t. urt"er t"ere is eviden!e t"at adults' in %id li#e at

least' are %ore likely t"an youn$er adults to (e a(le to reresent and %ana$e %ore !o%le9

(lended e%otions and inte$rate t"eir e%otions 8it" !o$nitions a(out t"e 8orld in %ore

!o%le9 8ays. :o8ever' 8"ere !"an$es in !o$nitive,a##e!tive !o%le9ity a!ross t"e

li#esan "ave (een de%onstrated t"e e##e!t sies "ave (een s%all.

7


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EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

T"e !onstru!t o# e%otional intelli$en!e re#ers to t"e e9tent to 8"i!" individuals deal

e##e!tively 8it" t"eir o8n and ot"ersJ e%otions. T"ere "as (een a tre%endous a%ount o#

oular and a!ade%i! interest in e%otional intelli$en!e' ro(a(ly re#le!tin$ t"e intuitively

aealin$ idea t"at e%otions are i%ortant deter%inants o# su!!ess#ul er#or%an!e in

various do%ains in!ludin$ leaders"i' 8orkla!e er#or%an!e and li#e satis#a!tion +Gardner

tou$"' *))*F Pal%er' Gardner' tou$"' *))


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"yot"esied to un#old ro$ressively and in!re%entally t"rou$" develo%ent. E%otional

er!etion arises in early !"ild"ood. E%otional #a!ilitation is t"e a(ility to (rin$ e%otional

e9erien!es into $eneral a8areness. E%otional understandin$ in!ludes reasonin$ a(out

e%otions in!ludin$ understandin$ "o8 and 8"y t"ey arise. T"e #inal' and "i$"est' a(ility is

e%otional %ana$e%ent and re$ulation.

Mayer' Caruso and alovey +*)))0 !o%ared **6 adoles!ents 8it" aro9i%ately *4)

adults usin$ t"e MEI s!ale and #ound si$ni#i!ant in!reases (y a$e in t"e a!es' ynest"esia

and Blends tasks as 8ell as in t"e overall !o%(ined test s!ores. T"ese tasks are !ate$orised

under t"e (ran!"es o# er!eivin$' usin$ and understandin$ e%otions' not %ana$in$

e%otions. :o8ever' t"is study involved a !o%arison o# adoles!ents 8it" adults and

t"ere#ore says not"in$ a(out !"an$es in e%otional a(ilities a!ross t"e adult li#esan.urt"er%ore' it is nota(le t"at only < o# t"e 3* su(s!ales o# t"e MEI s"o8ed si$ni#i!ant

a$e e##e!ts even t"ou$" adoles!ents 8ere in!luded.

A uite di##erent attern o# results 8as o(tained in t"e nor%ative sa%le o# 4))) eole

dra8n #ro% t"e $eneral oulation #or t"e MCEIT reorted in t"e %anual +Mayer'

alovey' Caruso' *))*0. T"ere HPer!eivin$ E%otionsK s"o8ed no in!rease a!ross t"e

li#esan' 8"ile Ha!ilitatin$Usin$K' HUnderstandin$ E%otionsK and HMana$in$ E%otionsK

all s"o8ed relia(le di##eren!es (et8een t"e 35,*= year old a$e (ra!ket and later a$es'

alt"ou$" not (et8een a$es later t"an *4. A$e e9lained t"e %ost varian!e in Understandin$

E%otions +5.70 arti!ularly #or t"e C"an$es su(task +3).=0. It e9lained very s%all

ortions o# varian!e in Mana$in$ E%otions +4.60 and a!ilitatin$Usin$ e%otions +


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relia(ly %easured (y t"e Bar,On Ei' MCEIT' and #our ot"er %easures o# e%otional

intelli$en!e. T"e UEIT !on!etualises e%otional intelli$en!e in ter%s o# #ive #a!tors-

3. E%otional &e!o$nition and E9ressionF

*. Understandin$ E%otionsF


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i%rove%ent in t"e a(ility to dis!ern e%otions in ot"ers %ay !ontinue t"rou$" at least early

adult"ood. On (alan!e' 8e did not e9e!t t"is a(ility to (e stron$ly !orrelated 8it" a$e

8it"in t"e adult sa%le analysed "erein.

T"e #a!tor E%otions Dire!t Co$nition assesses t"e e9tent to 8"i!" individuals utilise

e%otions and e%otional in#or%ation in reasonin$ and de!ision,%akin$. Given t"e

develo%ental eviden!e resented a(ove' 8e 8ould e9e!t t"is a(ility to (e ositively

related to a$e and' in arti!ular' t"e develo%ent o# !o$nitive,a##e!tive !o%le9ity.

o!ioe%otional sele!tivity t"eory +Carstensen et al.' *))


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T"us' in su%%ary' 8e "yot"esised t"e #ollo8in$ relations"is (et8een t"e #a!tors o# t"e

UEIT and a$e-

:3- A$e s"ould (e ositively related to E%otions Dire!t Co$nition

:*- A$e s"ould (e ositively related to t"e sel#,%ana$e%ent ite%s #ro% E%otional

Mana$e%ent.

:


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t"e s!ale (y !utte et al. +!"utte et al.' 36650 and t"e s!ale (y Tett et al. +Tett' Wan$'

T"o%as' Grie(ler' Linkovi!"' 36670. Only t"e results #ro% t"e MCEIT are resented

"ere as t"e %ain oint o# t"is !o%arison 8as to !onsider 8"et"er a non,sel#,reort %easure

o# e%otional intelli$en!e revealed e##e!ts o# a$e.

A$e e%ale Male Total

General a%le

35,*6 35< == **7


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likely to (e linear or lo$arit"%i!. T"is 8as !on#ir%ed (y !ondu!tin$ %ultile re$ressions

usin$ eit"er linear' lo$arit"%i! or uadrati! trans#or%ations o# a$e.

& Linear Lo$arit"%i! uadrati!

e% Male S S S+a$e0 S+a$e*0

E%otional&e!o$nitionE9ression .)< .)* ,.)3 ,.)3 ,.*< .*.' Parker' >. D. A. +366=0. T"e t8enty,ite% Toronto ale9it"y%ias!ale , II- Conver$ent' dis!ri%inant' and !on!urrent validity.Journal of

Psychosomatic Research !"' . +*)))0.*ultifactor +eadership %uestionnaire for Research.

Palo Alto' CA- Mind Garden.Blan!"ard,ields' . +36670. T"e role o# e%otion in so!ial !o$nition a!ross t"e adult li#e

san. In . W. !"aie M. P. La8ton +Eds.0',nnual review of gerontology andgeriatrics+;ol. 37' . *


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Costa' P. T.' >r.' :er(st' >. :.' M!Crae' &. &.' ie$ler' I. C. +*)))0. Personality at %idli#e-ta(ility' intrinsi! %aturation' and resonse to li#e events.,ssessment /+=0' . +36720.#go development Conceptions and theories. an ran!is!o- >ossey

Bass.

Loevin$er' >. +36570.Paradigms of personality. Ne8 ork- ree%an.Manners' >.' Durkin' . +*))30. A !riti!al revie8 o# t"e validity o# e$o develo%ent

t"eory and its %easure%ent.Journal of Personality ,ssessment //+. D.' Caruso' D.' alovey' P. +*)))0. E%otional intelli$en!e %eets traditional

standards #or an intelli$en!e.Intelligence 0/+=0' *27,*65.Mayer' >. D.' alovey' P. +36670. W"at is e%otional intelli$en!e? In P. alovey D.

luyter +Eds.0'#motional development and emotional intelligence Implications foreducators+.


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6issertation ,=stracts International 1ection , -umanities 3 1ocial 1ciences >9(0&

,'' =3).&yan' &. M.' De!i' E. L. +*))30. On "ainess and "u%an otentials- A revie8 o#

resear!" on "edoni! and eudai%oni! 8ell,(ein$.,nnual Review of Psychology 800. D.' Gold%an' . L.' Turvey' C.' Pal#ai' t. P. +36640. E%otionalattention' !larity and reair- E9lorin$ e%otional intelli$en!e usin$ t"e trait %eta,%ood s!ale. In >. W. Penne(aker +Ed.0'#motion disclosure and health+. 3*4,34=0. Was"in$ton' DC- A%eri!an Psy!"olo$i!al Asso!iation.

!"utte' N. .' Malou##' >. M.' :all' L. E.' :a$$erty' D. >.' Cooer' >. T.' Golden' C. >.' et al.+36650. Develo%ent and validation o# a %easure o# e%otional intelli$en!e.

Personality 3 Individual 6ifferences 08' 327,377.taudin$er' U. M.' Marsiske' M.' Baltes' P. B. +36640. &esilien!e and reserve !aa!ity in

later adult"ood- Potentials and li%its o# develo%ent. In D. C"i!!"etti D. >.Co"en +Eds.0'6evelopmental Psychopathology Risk disorder and adaptation+;ol.*.' Linkovi!"' T. +3667' Aril = 36670. )estinga model of emotional intelligence.Paer resented at t"e 3667 Annual Conventiono# t"e out"eastern Psy!"olo$i!al Asso!iation' Atlanta' GA.

;aillant' G. E.' M!Cullou$"' L. +36570. T"e Was"in$ton University enten!e Co%letionTest !o%ared 8it" ot"er %easures o# adult e$o develo%ent.,merican Journal of

Psychiatry 99' 3356,336=.Xeidner' M.' Matt"e8s' G.' &o(erts' &. D.' Ma!Cann' C. +*))+*,

EI Age Atkins and Stough Conference Presentation 2005

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