Being Smart in More Ways than One

Even more groundbreaking, psychologists argue that emotional intelligence, unlike IQ, can be learned throughout life and is not fixed at birth.  This theory has meant that the field of intelligence has expanded tremendously to include many more members of the population, rather than excluding a vast majority of it.

What are the major concepts of emotional intelligence?  According to the Web site Funderstanding (www.funderstanding.com), emotional intelligence is made up of five key concepts. These include:  

Self-awareness--knowing your emotions, recognizing feelings as they occur, and discriminating between them
Mood management--handling feelings so they're relevant to the current situation and you react appropriately
Self-motivation--"gathering up" your feelings and directing yourself towards a goal, despite self-doubt, inertia, and impulsiveness
Empathy--recognizing feelings in others and tuning into their verbal and nonverbal cues
Managing relationships--handling interpersonal interaction, conflict resolution, and negotiations