By Roger R. Pearman, Ed.D
Founder and President,
Leadership Performance Systems and Qualifying.org
Divergence
Traditional psychologists who develop EQ models build their work on an academic tradition rich in a large body of research in the intelligences. Mayer, et al are proud of building their EQ intelligence model on the long tradition of cognitive models of intelligence and their model is gaining acceptance in the psychological community. The mounting evidence of the validity of their model lends credibility to their claim that the hypothesized eight abilities exist.
Due to their academic tradition, it is unlikely that they give much recognition to Jung’s model. Jung, often eschewed by contemporary research psychologists, was an astute observer of human behavior. The patterns he observed led him to hypothesize that patterns were governed by mental processes that served specific and specialized purposes.[i]
Mayer, et al are contemporary “dyed in the wool” research psychologists who have developed a model that parallels Jung’s holistic model of the human psyche adapting and learning from experience. Mayer’s work claims a long scientific tradition; Jung’s model is measured by various tools with varying degrees of psychometric integrity.
Convergence—a theoretical consideration
These two theories—one on the abilities of emotional intelligence and the other on mental functions that make up psychological type-- are not “accidental” findings about basic human mental processes. Rather, Mayer et al, and Jung came to their propositions after considerable study. Granted, their starting questions are somewhat different, but ultimately both models attempt to explore the mechanisms at work in adapting and coping.
Both models have proposed:
Eight capacities or mental resources in both models with similar characteristics, though labeled very differently.
Perceiving and judging processes, four capacities within each dimension.
A dynamic among the capabilities or mental resources such that any given combination has differential behavioral outcomes.
Adaptation and personal effectiveness are a matter of development and use of one’s natural resources.
Type and Emotional Intelligence
There is much to discover in future research, but of what is known, the following observations seem reasonable about type and emotional intelligence:
The architecture of both the EQ abilities model and psychological type are similar, though the primary content of each framework is different. If Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso are correct about these abilities being instrumental to emotional intelligence, then I am suggesting that the parallel of the two models suggest that the basic functions of type are equally important.
The way individuals experience and react to emotional information is partially a function of their type. Extensive evidence (summarized in Introduction to Type and Emotional Intelligence) suggests that those dimensions considered important to emotional intelligence vary by type in terms of the interpretation of stimuli and the management of emotional information.
As we enhance our type development by learning and integrating experience regarding our mental functions as expressed through our attitudes, we will likely increase our capacities to constructively manage our emotions and enrich our relationships.
Final Reminder—Enhancing Perception and Judgment about Emotions
The following fundamental principle in emotional intelligence and emotional effectiveness, regardless of type, is the most challenging for many people to understand and act on: No one makes you feel one way or the other; your feelings and emotions are entirely of your making.
It is not accurate to say you “choose” your emotions because this implies a conscious decision. Your emotions emerge due to the mind maps built on your personal history experience through the lens of your type.
A specific behavior by someone may trigger anger in one person and not in another. The difference is the mind map each person has about a given behavior. For example, someone cutting in front of you while driving may elicit anger or humor, depending on your mind map about that behavior. The main point is that no one causes your emotions; the emotions are a personal reaction and are best understood as self-generated feedback designed to motivate reactions.
We can change our mind maps, which are the “filters” that guide and direct our emotional response. You can learn to redirect your emotional energy for positive ends. However, none of this can be achieved unless you accept this principle: you must “own” your emotions and explore the link between your emotional
responses and your mind maps. What you do with them leads to satisfaction and effectiveness or unhappiness. My clinical work suggests that your type development can be an instrumental tool to increase your emotional intelligence and life satisfaction.
[i] Jung’s model is complex. He suggests that the mental functions are the architecture while experience is creates the unique content that adds substance to the architecture. For example, Introverted Feeling exists for everyone; however, the values around which Feeling focuses vary by experience. Further, Jung felt that development (through differentiation) and balance (meaning balancing perceiving and judging) are impulses that are wired into the psyche, though the course of development would vary by type and experience.
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2 comments:
Very interesting! Our 'mind maps' do have a great deal to do with reactions, but it is not that complex. Other than personality disordered individuyals, there are only a limited number of these maps. Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy clearly spells them out. Mind map #1- the world is not fair, #2 you are not fair, and #3 there is something wrong with me. Needless to say, if one eliminates these maps, there is no 'poor me' reactions to whatever! One is left with some sense of personal responsibility for one's reactions. These simply stated 'mind maps' 1-2&3 are gigantic in terms of human behavior. For the skeptics, the notion is not that they are eliminated, but rather they are eliminated some-of-the-time depending on fatigue, sickness, substance abuse and trauma or high stress levels. It is the awareness that I might have such 'mind maps' that allows me to change. Evidence is well documented that personality types have a time component associated with each type or mental framework. Knowing this connection brings further understanding as to how type and mind maps are associated.
Whether learned behavior or personality type, it is clear that 'mind maps' will show up in the various types. This specific research may not be available, but it is intuitive to realize that the connection is there and other research does exist that intimates that EQ and Type intersect. MKH
Thanks for the contribution and the ideas. Your comment prompts a couple of thoughts:
RET maps are a useful way to think about your frame on experience. Certainly, if your basic assumptions are that things should be fair or that you are a victim, them whatever happens engenders negative reactions.
I consider emotions as serving part of the human evolutionary process as a feedback mechanism. Emotions are alerting us to our psychological/physical circumstances, and that we should use the energy for more constructive ends.
The interesting thing, for example, with anger is that I don't have to believe that I am a victim to be angry that an agreement has been broken. The anger is "mine" and serves to prompt me to think about how reasonable I've been, how reasonable others have been, and how I might approach this situation differently. What is also interesting is that what I view as a violation of an agreement is not necessarily what another type would view as a violation. So our emotions might be the same physical experience when it happens but prompted for different reasons as suggested by our type.
I'm reasonably persuaded by Kegan's work that our competiing commitments are bolstered by a deep assumption, and these work to stall change. (See "The Real Reason People Don't Change," HBR) The emotional energy we attach to the commitments and to the assumptions (such as those outlined by RET) need to be understood and appropriately managed. And of course, the commitments and assumptions are also reflected in type tendencies.
Fortunately, we have multiple strategies to explore emotional energy and learn to use it for productive purposes.
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