Psychology Testing: Psychometric Emotional Intelligence Term Paper

Total Length: 12427 words ( 41 double-spaced pages)

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As emotionally intelligent employees are reportedly more content, conscientious and committed in the workplace, businesses and organizations are repeatedly advised to recruit and retain these individuals. Abraham (2006), nevertheless, reports that the strongest findings emerging from her study was.".. The effect of job control on emotional intelligence." She contends that emotionally intelligent employees will not just naturally thrive in their workplace; that the work environment needs to provide independence in decision making for employees to succeed.

Aims and Objectives

Aim

To explore concepts encapsulated in and related to EQ testing, through intensive research and appropriate assessment of collected data.

Research for this project proposes to increase understanding of EQ testing, as well as, complementary components.

Each objective presented in this proposal reflects an area of interest which will be expounded upon. As Objective 5, however, mirrors a primary consideration, plans are to include numerous samplings of related studies.

1.2 Objective

Define EQ and expand on its role in today's global world.

Each answer from EQ testing, Thibodeaux and Bond (2006) contend, reflects emotional intelligence's concept.

Emotional Intelligence embodies:

Empathy for others

An individual standing up for what he/she believe in a tactful, respectful manner

Refraining from jumping to conclusions; obtaining whole picture before reacting

An individual understanding his/her emotions, as well as, other individual's emotions and in turn, based on understanding, acting in the most suitable way.

A healthy emotional intelligence helps a person secure his/her personal boundaries, make decisions about his/her life, and communicate with those he/she loves. Just as a person may increase his/her EQ by identifying and taking responsibility for his/her emotions, he/she may also decrease his/her EQ. To maintain and increase IQ, a person has to persist in identifying and working on personal areas that need improvement.

1.3 Objective

Compare questions asked in EQ tests with questions asked in IQ Tests.

One sample question from an EQ test:

Situation: A friend has borrowed something small, but high in sentimental value. You've asked for your friend to return the item, but your friend has failed to bring it back.

Your Response:

You end the friendship. You don't need a friend who disrespects you and your feelings.

You let it go. Friendship is more important than material items.

You give your friend the cold shoulder until he or she returns your item.

You admit to your friend how important the item is to you and why you would like it back, and ask your friend to return the item to you.

Sample question from IQ test:

1. If you rearrange the letters "NOPTYH," you would have the name of a/an:

Answers:

Animal

Ocean

Country

State

City

1.4 Objective

Identify current tests and/or theories are available for assessing EQ.

This research will expand on theories existing in EQ which include:

MSCEIT v2.0 (successor of MEIS); Mayer and Salovey (1997),

EQ-i (a measure of Reuven Bar-on's model of emotional intelligence)

Goleman (1998b; 2002).

1.5 Objective

Assess accuracy of EQ's assumptions for individuals.

True of false: Unlike IQ, emotional intelligence can be developed. This statement evokes agreements, arguments and skepticism. Emmerling (Ibid, p 20) cites McCrae (2000) to comment:

we know a great deal about the origins of personality traits. Traits from all five factors are strongly influenced by genes... And are extraordinarily persistent in adulthood." Genetics most likely employ a vital role in the development of emotional intelligence, yet at the same time, nurture also influences nature. "EI may be learned through life experience... If weak, improvement in EI with maturation... without sustained effort and attention, individuals are unlikely to improve greatly a given aspect of their emotional intelligence." (Ibid)

1.6 Objective

Examine numerous studies testing the reliability of EQ.

Whyte (2001) implemented his study, modeling some aspects after Wilson's and Batterham's 1999 proposal of novel approach to assessing the test-retest stability of psychometric questionnaires. "They recommended assessing the proportion of agreement -- that is, the proportion of participants that record the same response to an item -- using a test-retest design." Using a bootstrapping technique, they estimated the proportion of agreement the uncertainty. Whyte (Ibid) stated his aims to be:

To demonstrate that the sampling distribution of the proportion of agreement is well-known (the binomial distribution), making the technique of 'bootstrapping' redundant,

To suggest a much simpler, more sensitive method of assessing the stability of a psychometric questionnaire based on the test-retest differences (within-individuals) for each item."

PROPOSAL REFERENCES

References

Abraham, Rebecca. "The Role of Job Control as a Moderator of Emotional Dissonance and Emotional Intelligence -- Outcome Relationships.
(Statistical Data Included)," the Journal of Psychology, March 1, 2000.

Durrenmatt, Friedrich. (1996). The Columbia World of Quotations. New York: ColumbiaUniversity Press. [25 September 2006]. http://www.bartleby.com/66/73/18273.html.

Emmerling, Psy.D, Robert J. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: ISSUES and COMMON MISUNDERSTANDINGS. October, 2003. [26 September 2006]. http://www.eiconsortium.org/research/EI_Issues_And_Common_Misunderstandings.pdf.

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. (1996). The Columbia World of Quotations. New York: Columbia University Press. [26 September 2006]. http://www.bartleby.com/66/47/22347.html.

A sychometric

Tests - Human Resource Training - Consultancy." (2000). [25 September 2006]. Www.psyasia.com/supportsuite.

The Ultimate Personality Test. (2006) Tickle Tests. [25 September 2006]. http://web.tickle.com/personality/?sid=2005&supp=search_personality_psychological&tst=personality.

Whyte, Gregory P.. "Stability of psychometric questionnaires.(Statistical Data Included),"

Journal of Sports Sciences, April 1, 2001.

ABSTRACT

Durrenmatt (1996) may have had it right when he said, "Emotions have no place in business, unless you do business with them." Or perhaps, he was wrong. Only the test of time, however, will tell. Albeit, at this time, this dissertation, entitled Testing Tests, presents:

Definition and expanded information of EQ, and its role in today's global world.

Comparison of questions asked in EQ tests with questions asked in IQ Tests.

Identifications of current tests, along with applicable theories for assessing EQ.

Assessment of accuracy of EQ's assumptions for individuals.

Examination of numerous studies testing the reliability of EQ.

This research presents relevant data gathered from literature related to EQ, and assessed to determine its scope of accuracy, acceptability and availability. Determinations are made regarding the hypothesis presented in this proposal entitled, Testing Tests.

Findings ultimately confirm this researcher's hypothesis: While the utilization of EQ serves to enhance the responder's understanding of his/her emotional intelligence, numerous other factors "figure in" to determine the validity of this type testing.

TESTING TESTS DISSERTATION

Abstract i

I. The Business of Emotions 1

Business as "Not so Usual" 1

II. Literature Review ' 3

Different, yet Similar 3

Definition and expanded information of EQ, and its role in today's global world. 3

2.2 Comparison of questions asked in EQ tests with questions asked in IQ Tests. 5

2.3 Identifications of current tests, along with applicable theories for assessing EQ.

2.4 Assessment of accuracy of EQ's assumptions for individuals.

2.5 Examination of numerous studies testing the reliability of EQ. 22

III. Methodology

Slide Show 34

IV Analysis

Testing Facts 52

V. Conclusions and Recommendations

What's Left Behind 55

5.1 Aims and Objectives

5.2 Objective 1 55

5.3 Objective 2 56

5.4 Objective

5.5 Objective

5.6 Objective 5 57

Summary

Limitations

Recommendations

References

TESTING TESTS

I. The Business of Emotions

Business as "Not so Usual"

Emotions have no place in business, unless you do business with them." (Durrenmatt, 1996)

Back in yesteryears, the concept of deliberately bringing emotions into the business realm, or implementing tests related to emotions into the business arena would have most likely been "shot down." Today, however, the "Question: Is success in life and career determined primarily by rational intelligence (the IQ or intelligence quotient) or emotional intelligence (the EQ or emotional quotient)?" repeatedly surfaces in business. In other words, individuals in the business world are having to determine whether intelligence or intuition is more important and/or how they relate to each other. Essentially, an individual's EQ reflects the level of his/her ability to understand other individuals; things that motivates them and how to work in cooperative ways with others. (Ibid)

While emotional intelligence's impact has recently stimulated a number of research initiatives across a range of psychology domains, controversy has also evolved and continues to exist; forging a gap between what is known and what needs to be known. (Emmerling, 2003, p 2) Delving into the known, as well as, into the unknown in EQ, in order to know and make better known basic information about EQ, constitutes the rationale for this researcher's efforts. Questions considered in Emmerling's study, a primary source for consideration in this project include:

What is emotional intelligence (EI)?

How is it different from other established constructs within psychology?

Is it possible to develop EI?

Is EI a better predictor of work performance than traditional measures of intelligence...

Which kinds of work performance does EI predict most strongly?

Should EI be measured at all?

What is the relationship between ethics and EI?" (Ibid, p 3)

This dissertation examines the following questions, which, although similar to Emmerling's, focus on the hypothesis: While the utilization of EQ serves to enhance the responder's understanding of his/her emotional intelligence, numerous other factors "figure in" to determine the validity of this type testing.

What….....

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