Ability and Trait Emotional Intelligence: Do They Contribute to the Explanation of Prosocial Behaviour?

Abstract

Previous research on ability emotional intelligence (EI) has shown that EI positively contributes to different positive life outcomes. However, the role of EI abilities in prosocial behaviour (PSB) has not been sufficiently investigated. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between EI abilities measured by tests and self-reports, empathy and PSB in the student population. A total of N = 331 university students completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, two EI tests, and self-report measures of EI, cognitive empathy, emotional reactivity and PSB. Of all EI measures, only self-reports correlated with PSB. Cognitive and emotional empathy were also related to PSB. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that self-assessed EI, cognitive empathy and emotional reactivity were predictors of PSB. Cognitive empathy and emotional reactivity also mediated the relationship between self-assessed EI and PSB. The results showed that for the prediction of PSB, it is important how a person evaluates his emotional abilities, and not what the actual level of these abilities is. Furthermore, people with higher self-estimated EI behave prosocially more often because they experience empathy to a greater extent, both cognitively and emotionally.

Keywords

• emotional intelligence
• empathy
• prosocial behaviour
• tests
• self-reports
• university students