Emotional awareness and emotional intelligence in leadership teaching

Recent research has highlighted the importance of emotional awareness and emotional intelligence in organizations, and these topics are attracting increasing attention. In this article, the authors present the results of a preliminary classroom study in which emotion concepts were incorporated into an undergraduate leadership course. In the study, students completed self report and ability tests of emotional intelligence. The test results were compared with students' interest in emotions and their performance in the course assessment. Results showed that interest in and knowledge of emotional intelligence predicted team performance, whereas individual performance was related to emotional intelligence.

Preserved emotional awareness of pain in a patient with extensive bilateral damage to the insula, anterior cingulate, and amygdala

Functional neuroimaging investigations of pain have discovered a reliable pattern of activation within limbic regions of a putative "pain matrix" that has been theorized to reflect the affective dimension of pain. To test this theory, we evaluated the experience of pain in a rare neurological patient with extensive bilateral lesions encompassing core limbic structures of the pain matrix, including the insula, anterior cingulate, and amygdala. Despite widespread damage to these regions, the patient's expression and experience of pain was intact, and at times excessive in nature. This finding was consistent across multiple pain measures including self-report, facial expression, vocalization, withdrawal reaction, and autonomic response. These results challenge the notion of a "pain matrix" and provide direct evidence that the insula, anterior cingulate, and amygdala are not necessary for feeling the suffering inherent to pain. The patient's heightened degree of pain affect further suggests that these regions may be more important for the regulation of pain rather than providing the decisive substrate for pain's conscious experience.

The effects of emotional awareness training on teachers' ability to manage the emotions of preschool children: an experimental study

This article describes the process and results of a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) on teachers' ability to manage the emotions of preschool children during a constrained play activity. Thirty early childhood education teachers participated in the study. Half of the participants were taught strategies to enhance their own emotional competence. The control group was provided with standard information on child development. The experimental group was trained in active strategies on emotion coaching, emotional schemas, reflective practice focused on emotions, and mindfulness training. The teachers' outcomes were assessed in situ during a pretend play session with small groups of preschoolers. The dependent variables were observed occurrences of different components of emotional competence in teachers. Significant statistical differences were found between the two groups across the three different emotional competence skills (regulation, expression, and knowledge) demonstrated by the early childhood teachers during a game situation. This experimental study highlights the processes through which teachers support the emotional competence of young children, and the importance of the role of early childhood teachers' own emotional competence on the socialisation of children's emotions. Most importantly, it provides evidence, based on the influence of emotion-focused teacher-training and reflective practices, that teachers' emotional skills should be supported such that they can optimally meet the emotional needs of young children.

Does Emotional Intelligence have a “Dark” Side? A Review of the Literature

Emotional intelligence (EI) was once touted as the ‘panacea’ for a satisfying and successful life. Consequently, there has been much emphasis on developing interventions to promote this personal resource in applied settings. Despite this, a growing body of research has begun to identify particular contexts when EI does not appear helpful and may even be deleterious to a person, or those they have contact with, suggesting a ‘dark’ side to the construct. This paper provides a review of emergent literature to examine when, why and how trait and ability EI may contribute to negative intrapersonal (psychological ill-health; stress reactivity) and interpersonal outcomes (emotional manipulation; antisocial behaviour). Negative effects were found to operate across multiple contexts (health, academic, occupational) however these were often indirect, suggesting that outcomes depend on pre-existing qualities of the person. Literature also points to the possibility of ‘optimal’ levels of EI – both within and across EI constructs. Uneven profiles of self-perceptions (trait facets) or actual emotional skills contribute to poorer outcomes, particularly emotional awareness and management. Moreover, individuals who possess high levels of skill but have lower self-perceptions of their abilities fare worse that those with more balanced profiles. Future research must now improve methodological and statistical practices to better capture EI in context and the negative corollary associated with high levels.

Context-aware emotion-based model for group decision making

Involving groups in important management processes such as decision making has several advantages. By discussing and combining ideas, counter ideas, critical opinions, identified constraints, and alternatives, a group of individuals can test potentially better solutions, sometimes in the form of new products, services, and plans. In the past few decades, operations research, AI, and computer science have had tremendous success creating software systems that can achieve optimal solutions, even for complex problems. The only drawback is that people don’t always agree with these solutions. Sometimes this dissatisfaction is due to an incorrect parameterization of the problem. Nevertheless, the reasons people don’t like a solution might not be quantifiable, because those reasons are often based on aspects such as emotion, mood, and personality. At the same time, monolithic individual decisionsupport systems centered on optimizing solutions are being replaced by collaborative systems and group decision-support systems (GDSSs) that focus more on establishing connections between people in organizations. These systems follow a kind of social paradigm. Combining both optimization- and socialcentered approaches is a topic of current research. However, even if such a hybrid approach can be developed, it will still miss an essential point: the emotional nature of group participants in decision-making tasks. We’ve developed a context-aware emotion based model to design intelligent agents for group decision-making processes. To evaluate this model, we’ve incorporated it in an agent-based simulator called ABS4GD (Agent-Based Simulation for Group Decision), which we developed. This multiagent simulator considers emotion- and argument based factors while supporting group decision-making processes. Experiments show that agents endowed with emotional awareness achieve agreements more quickly than those without such awareness. Hence, participant agents that integrate emotional factors in their judgments can be more successful because, in exchanging arguments with other agents, they consider the emotional nature of group decision making.

Coaching: caraterísticas do coach e benefícios do coaching para o cliente

Na atual conjuntura, em que as organizações enfrentam múltiplos desafios pela natureza complexa, incerta e volátil da própria envolvente, torna-se imprescindível conhecer e compreender quais as ferramentas que auxiliam a um maior aproveitamento e desenvolvimento do capital humano (Pina e Cunha et al., 2010). Pelas constantes mudanças tecnológicas, de mercados, políticas e sociais as pessoas têm que se ir adaptando, e o Coaching pode ser uma resposta para as presentes contingências. A importância do Coaching é revelada em diversos estudos pela sua eficácia e respetivos benefícios. Deste modo, faz todo o sentido querer estudar a ferramenta, tendo como objetivo principal querer perceber se as caraterísticas do coach interferem com os benefícios do respetivo cliente. A investigação é apoiada por uma metodologia quantitativa, que testa as hipóteses criadas, de encontro aos objetivos gerais. Em suma, o trabalho é valioso para o crescimento e maturação do Coaching, ao fornecer novos dados.

Programa d'intervenció d'educació emocional i social per a l'etapa infantil: l'educació de la consciència emocional i l'autoestima

L’objectiu d’aquest treball és comprovar si l’aplicació d’un programa d’educació emocional i social millora el benestar emocional i social dels infants d’Educació Infantil. Per tal d’assolir aquest objectiu, primerament es va triar una mostra de 4 infants per realitzar el test PAI (Precepció de l’Autoconcepte Infantil) i així, mesurar el seu nivell d’autoestima. Després es va aplicar el programa d’educació emocional i social a l’aula, treballant la consciència emocional i l’autoestima. Seguidament es va tornar a realitzar el test PAI per poder observar i mesurar els canvis en el percentil dels mateixos 4 infants. S’han observat unes millores en el nivell d’autoestima dels nens i nenes de l’aula; s’ha adquirit una bona consciència emocional i s’han anat desenvolupant habilitats socioemocionals i, per tant, ha millorat el clima de l’aula. El treball de l’educació emocional i social a les aules és necessari per millorar el benestar emocional i social dels infants i així, ajudar en seu desenvolupament integral.

Proposta d’un programa d’intervenció psicoeducativa per a un infant de 6 anys amb possible TDAH

Aquest treball té per objectiu identificar i avaluar preventivament les característiques d’un infant de sis anys que podrien desenvolupar el Trastorn per Dèficit d’Atenció amb Hiperactivitat. Per a la realització d’aquest treball es va proposar realitzar un programa psicopedagògic enfocat a millorar diferents comportaments negatius del propi infant. El programa està constituït per cinc activitats, realitzades amb tot el grup-classe, que intenten millorar diversos conceptes: la consciència emocional, el nivell d’empatia, l’autoestima i l’autocontrol emocional. El subjectes del grup d’intervenció han millorat en els diferents comportaments, i en concret, s’ ha vist un canvi important positiu en la conducta de l’infant. A més, l’observació d’actuacions no adequades en infants d’edats primerenques suposarà realitzar un bon treball psicopedagògic per poder-les prevenir o disminuir.

Diseño, aplicación y evaluación de un programa de educación emocional en un centro penitenciario

Introducción. El propósito de este estudio ha sido evaluar la incidencia que, sobre un grupo de internos de un centro penitenciario, ha tenido la aplicación de un programa de educación emocional para la mejora de la conciencia y la regulación emocional. Se pretendía ofrecer a los internos estrategias de regulación emocional que les fueran útiles en el centro penitenciario y a su vez les facilitaran su futura inclusión social. Método. Se ha utilizado un diseño cuasiexperimental de grupo único con grupo control. Para medir las variables se utilizaron distintos instrumentos, entre ellos una adaptación del CEE (GROP, 2001), un caso práctico (planteamiento de una situación generadora de emociones negativas), un análisis de las sanciones durante dos meses y un cuestionario de valoración de las actividades del programa por parte de los participantes. Resultados. Se destaca que la mayoría de ítems del cuestionario aplicado al grupo experimental mejoran después de formarse así como las respuestas dadas en la resolución del caso práctico. Sin embargo no se puede hablar de diferencias significativas en el caso de las sanciones si se compara con el grupo control. También los implicados valoraron positivamente el programa. Discusión. Los resultados manifiestan que la intervención del programa de educación emocional ha contribuido a la mejora de la conciencia y la regulación emocional del grupo experimental.

Construcción del Cuestionario de Desarrollo Emocional de Adultos (QDE-A)

El propósito de este trabajo es presentar la construcción y aplicación del Questionari de Desarrollo Emocional para Adultos (QDE-A). Se trata de la versión catalana del Cuestionario de Desarrollo Emocional para Adultos (CDE-A). Los instrumentos disponibles para la medición de la competencia emocional son escasos y todos ellos sujetos a criticas centradas fundamentalmente en la falta de un marco teórico claro y de fundamentos empíricos firmes (Pérez, Petrides y Furnham, 2005). El QDE-A, se enmarca en la línea de investigación sobre educación emocional del GROP (Grupo de Investigación en Orientación Psicopedagógica). Se trata de un cuestionario de autoinforme basado en el marco teórico de la educación emocional desarrollado por el GROP (Bisquerra, 2000 y 2007) según el cual la competencia emocional se compone de cinco dimensiones: conciencia emocional, regulación emocional, autonomía emocional, competencias sociales y competencias para la vida y el bienestar. El QDE-A ofrece una puntuación global y otra para cada una de estas dimensiones. En este artículo se expone el proceso de elaboración para llegar a la versión definitiva que en su forma extensa consiste en una escala que dispone de 48 ítems. Los datos se basan en una muestra de 1537 adultos. La fiabilidad medida por el alfa de Cronbach es de 0,92, para la escala completa y superior a 0.70 para cada una de las dimensiones. La correlación entre cada una de las dimensiones y la puntuación total es significativa en todos los casos con un nivel de p<0.01. El QDE-A responde a la necesidad de disponer de un instrumento riguroso, adaptado a la población catalana, que permite evaluar el nivel de competencia emocional en adultos y fundamentar las intervenciones en educación emocional.

L'intelligenza emotiva in età evolutiva

Emotional Intelligence (EI) has increasingly gained widespread popularity amongst both lay people and scientists in a wide range of contexts and across several research areas. In spite of rigorous inquiry into its applications in educational, social, health and clinical settings, substantial disagreement exists regarding the definition of EI, with respect to both terminology and operationalizations. Actually, there is a consensus about a conceptual distinction between Trait EI, or trait emotional self-efficacy (Petrides & Furnham, 2001), and Ability EI, or cognitive-emotional ability (Mayer & Salovey, 1997). Trait EI is measured via self-report questionnaires, whereas Ability EI is assessed via maximum performance tests. Moreover, EI is the broadest of the emotional constructs, and it subsumes various constructs, as Emotional Awareness (Lane & Schwartz, 1987). To date, EI research has focused primarily on adults, with fewer studies conducted with child samples. The aim of the present study is to investigate the role of different models of EI in childhood and early adolescence (N = 670; 353 females; Mage= 10.25 years ; SD = 1.57). In addition, a further goal is to evaluate the relationship of each construct with personality, non verbal cognitive intelligence, school performance, peer relationships, and affective disorders (anxiety and depression). Results shows significant correlations between Trait EI and Emotional Awareness, whereas Trait and Ability EI appear as independent constructs. We also found significant positive associations between age and Ablity EI and Emotional Awareness (although with add of verbal productivity), while gender differences emerged in favour of females in all EI-related measures. The results provide evidence that Trait EI is partially determined by all of the Big Five personality dimensions, but independent of cognitive ability. Finally, the present study highlights the role of EI on social interactions, school performance and, especially, a negative relationship between Trait EI and psychopathology.

Maladaptive defense mechanisms are associated with decoupling of testosterone from sexual desire in women of reproductive age

O presente artigo contém uma errata, disponível em: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15294145.2015.1108503

Emotional Intelligence, emotional Self-Awareness, and Team Effectiveness

An issue at the forefront of recent emotional intelligence debates revolves around whether emotional intelligence can be linked to work performance. Although many authors continue to develop new and improved measures of emotional intelligence (e.g. Mayer, Caruso, & Salovey, 2001) to give us a better understanding of emotional intelligence, the links to performance in work settings, especially in the context of group effectiveness, have received much less attention. In this chapter, we present the results of a study in which we examined the role of emotional self-awareness and emotional intelligence as a predictor of group effectiveness. The study also addresses the utility of self- and peer assessment in measureing emotional self-awareness and emotional intelligence.

Faces and awareness: low-level, not emotional factors determine perceptual dominance

Threat-relevant stimuli such as fear faces are prioritized by the human visual system. Recent research suggests that this prioritization begins during unconscious processing: A specialized (possibly subcortical) pathway evaluates the threat relevance of visual input, resulting in preferential access to awareness for threat stimuli. Our data challenge this claim. We used a continuous flash suppression (CFS) paradigm to present emotional face stimuli outside of awareness. It has been shown using CFS that salient (e.g., high contrast) and recognizable stimuli (faces, words) become visible more quickly than less salient or less recognizable stimuli. We found that although fearful faces emerge from suppression faster than other faces, this was wholly explained by their low-level visual properties, rather than their emotional content. We conclude that, in the competition for visual awareness, the visual system prefers and promotes unconscious stimuli that are more “face-like,” but the emotional content of a face has no effect on stimulus salience.