Benjamin R. Palmer

Emotional intelligence and effective leadership

Emotional intelligence has become increasingly popular as a measure for identifying potentially effective leaders, and as a tool for developing effective leadership skills. Despite this popularity, however, there is little empirical research that substantiates the efficacy of emotional intelligence in these areas. The aim of the present paper was to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence and effective leadership. Emotional intelligence was assessed by a modified version of the Trait Meta Mood Scale in 43 participants employed in management roles. Effective leaders were identified as those who displayed a transformational rather than transactional leadership style as measured by the multifactor leadership questionnaire. Emotional intelligence correlated with several components of transformational leadership suggesting that it may be an important component of effective leadership. In particular emotional intelligence may account for how effective leaders monitor and respond to subordinates and make them feel at work.

Emotional intelligence and life satisfaction

Abstract This study examined the relationship between emotional intelligence and life satisfaction. To determine the nature of this relationship, personality constructs known to predict life satisfaction were also assessed (positive and negative affect). Emotional intelligence was assessed in 107 participants using a modified version of the Trait Meta-Mood Scale [TMMS; Salovey, P, Mayer, J., Goldman, S., Turvey, C. & Palfai, T.1995. Emotional attention, clarity and repair: exploring emotional intelligence using the Trait Meta-Mood Scale. In J. W. Pennebaker (Ed), pp. 125–154. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association ] and the Twenty-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale [TAS-20; J. Psychosom Res, 38 (1994) 26]. Life satisfaction was assessed using the Satisfaction With Life Scale [SWLS; J. Pers. Social Psycol., 69 (1985) 71]. Only the Clarity sub-scale of the TMMS (which indexes perceived ability to understand and discriminate between moods and emotions), and the Difficulty Identifying Feelings sub-scale of the TAS-20 were found to significantly correlate with life satisfaction. Subsequent analyses revealed that only the Clarity sub-scale accounted for further variance in life satisfaction not accounted for by positive and negative affect. This finding provides further evidence that components of the EI construct account for variance in this important human value not accounted for by personality. Implications and directions for further research are discussed.

Examining the factor structure of the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory with an Australian general population sample

It has been claimed that the dimensional structure of the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) (Bar-On, 1997a) represents a hierarchical model of emotional and social intelligence describing a general factor, five-second order factors and 15 primary factors. However, there are several anomalies in the factor analytic methodology employed by Bar-On (1997a), and his interpretation of the results that render the dimensional structure of the EQ-i unclear. In contrast to claims by Bar-On, in the present study a series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses found evidence for a general factor of emotional intelligence and six primary factors. Differences between the results reported by Bar-On (1997a) and those of the current study are attributed largely to the more appropriate factor analytic methodology employed. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

A Confirmatory Factor Analytic Investigation of the TAS–20: Corroboration of a Five-Factor Model and Suggestions for Improvement

Alexithymia represents an individual difference dimension characterized by difficulties identifying emotions, difficulties describing emotions, and a utilitarian approach to thinking. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale–20 (TAS–20; Bagby, Parker, & Taylor, 1994) is a frequently used inventory to measure alexithymia, and although several studies have examined the factor structure of the TAS–20, a number of issues remain unresolved. Specifically, the severely unbalanced item-keyed nature of the TAS–20 has been suggested to limit the interpretation of the substantive Externally Oriented Thinking (EOT) factor. Further, it has also been suggested that the EOT factor may be better represented by 2 oblique factors. A review of the TAS–20 confirmatory factory analysis (CFA) literature has suggested that some improvement in CFA strategies could possibly be afforded by using a nested factors modeling approach. Based on a sample of 355 participants, we demonstrated that the TAS–20 was better represented by a nested factors model with 5 substantive factors. A novel, latent variable approach to estimating internal consistency reliability revealed that the subscales within the TAS–20 were associated with unacceptably low levels of reliability independently of the global alexithymia factor. Although there was some CFA evidence to suggest the plausibility of a negatively keyed factor, a thorough examination of the items in question offered an alternative interpretation. Further development of the TAS–20′s Externally Oriented Thinking subscale is encouraged.

Examining the Structure of the Trait Meta-Mood Scale

Despite the development of numerous measures of emotional intelligence, there is a lack of independent research substantiating their psychometric properties. In the present paper, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used to assess the factorial and construct validity of the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS; Salovey Mayer, Goldman, Turvey, & Palfai, 1995). In a general population sample (n = 310), the three factors (Attention, Clarity and Repair) were replicated, although support for a fourth factor was also found. Support was also found for the construct validity of the emotional management competency assessed by the TMMS. Overall, the findings support the Attention, Clarity and Repair decomposition of the TMMS. Directions for further validation of the TMMS and the construct of emotional intelligence are discussed.

The Genos Emotional Intelligence Inventory: A Measure Designed Specifically for Workplace Applications

The Genos Emotional Intelligence Inventory or Genos EI, is a 70-item multirater assessment. It was designed specifically for use in the workplace as a learning and development aid for human resource (HR) professionals and occupational psychologists involved in the identification, selection and development of employees. Genos EI does not measure emotional intelligence (EI) per-se’; rather, it measures how often people demonstrate 70 emotionally intelligent workplace behaviors that represent the effective demonstration of emotional intelligence in the workplace. Despite the popularity of EI as an employee selection and learning and development medium, few EI inventories have been designed specifically for use in the workplace. Indeed this approach to the assessment of EI is somewhat different from the approaches provided by leading authors in the area. Genos EI was originally conceptualized by Ben Palmer and Con Stough at Swinburne University. It was published as the Swinburne University Emotional Intelligence Test (SUIET; Palmer & Stough, 2001), and has appeared in numerous research papers as such. Since this time it has been revised and is now being widely used both in research and commercial settings as Genos EI. In this chapter we commence by describing our rationale for designing an emotional intelligence (EI) inventory for workplace applications. This rationale came from the findings of industry focus groups conducted with HR professionals, asking them to define an ‘‘ideal’’ EI inventory. We then outline the model and inventory itself, its similarities and differences with other leading EI inventories, and recent research findings based on selfand rater-report workplace samples. We conclude by setting some directions for future research with the inventory, and publish a short form version that can be freely used in workplace research.

EI training and sales performance during a corporate merger

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine statistically the efficacy of an emotional intelligence (EI) training program on sales performance and emotional intelligence in a group of salespeople.Design/methodology/approach – An experimental, repeated measures/between‐groups design was used (training group (n=29) and a control group (n=21)). The dependent variables were sales performance, self‐report EI and rater‐report EI. The data were analysed based on a series of split‐plot ANOVAS.Findings – Rater‐reported EI correlated with sales performance at r=0.32. The EI training group also demonstrated increases in both self‐ and rater‐report EI equal to approximately a Cohens d=−0.45, in comparison to the control group. Finally, the EI training group outperformed the control group by approximately 9 per cent (p<0.05) in sales performance.Research limitations/implications – The long‐term beneficial effects of the EI training program on sales performance are not known.Practical implications – Human resour...

Differences in confirmatory factor analysis model close-fit index estimates obtained from AMOS 4.0 and AMOS 5.0 via full information maximum likelihood-no imputation : corrections and extension to Palmer et al. (2003)

Abstract A previous publication (Palmer et al., 2003) provided confirmatory factor analysis (AMOS 4.0) evidence in favour of supporting a three-factor model for the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS), corresponding to Attention, Clarity, and Repair. The analyses in Palmer et al. (2003) were based on the missing values estimation option in AMOS 4.0. When compared with AMOS 5.0, the incremental close-fit index values were vastly different to those obtained by AMOS 4.0, such that the three-factor model could no longer be accepted. Further CFA modelling identified a nested factor model with a first-order general factor, three first-order substantive factors, corresponding to Attention, Clarity, and Repair, in conjunction with two other first-order factors, which were interpreted as method factors: (a) a negatively keyed method factor; and (b) a method factor that corresponded to three similarly worded items within the Repair subscale. There was evidence to suggest that items 14 and 24 should probably not be used, g...

A delivery system for olfactory stimuli.

This paper describes the design of a new method for controlling and administering olfactory stimuli—namely, thehood system. The hood system involves a stream of vaporized odor (at known concentrations) mixed with odorless air and pumped (at a constant flow rate) into an oxygen therapy hood. It is designed to be used with odorants in solution, such as essential oils, as the olfactory stimulus. The use of oxygen therapy hoods allows for the precise control of a constant concentration of odorized air over time, while allowing subjects to breathe normally. The hood system provides a natural administration of olfactory stimuli and the exact determination of the stimulus concentration. The use of this system will allow experimental conditions to be completely defined and results and replication studies to be accurately interpreted. The hood system is portable, cost effective, and constructed from readily available components. It is proposed that the hood system could be adopted to suit a wide range of olfactory research, particularly that in which the effects of chronic exposure to olfactory stimuli on cognition are examined.

The Genos employee motivation assessment

Purpose – This paper aims to describe a new measure of employee motivational fit, namely the Genos employee motivation assessment (GEMA), its predictive validity and use in learning and organizational development activities.Design/methodology/approach – Within three different organizations, employees completed GEMA via an online web survey system. Correlation analyses were then performed with a series of job performance and employee engagement data.Findings – Motivational fit (i.e. the degree of alignment between what an individual is motivated by and experiences in their work), within four areas measured by GEMA (namely, role fit, management fit, team fit, and organization fit), were found to be associated with average predictive validity correlation coefficients equal to 0.46, .073, 0.67, and 0.52, respectively.Research limitations/implications – Statistical analyses at the individual level would be beneficial in future research. Additionally, whether motivational fit can be improved via learning and/or...