An integrative model of emotional intelligence: emotional ability as a moderator of the mediated relationship of emotional quotient and emotional competence

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new theoretical and empirical model of emotional intelligence (EI) that incorporates the dominant paradigms in the field today – Bar-On (1988) emotional quotient (EQ), Mayer and Salovey (1990) emotional ability, and Goleman (1995) emotional competence – using a moderated-mediation framework. The paper proposes that emotional ability (potential capacity) has a moderating effect on the mediated relationship of EQ (preferred patterns) and emotional competence (actual behaviors) on performance outcomes. The proposal potentially resolves the content domain and nomological network concerns by incorporating the three paradigms into an integrative model of EI.

Keywords:

• emotional intelligence (EI)
• emotional quotient
• emotional ability
• emotional competence
• and moderated-mediation