Implicit theories and ability emotional intelligence

Previous research has shown that people differ in their implicit theories about the essential characteristics of intelligence and emotions. Some people believe these characteristics to be predetermined and immutable (entity theorists), whereas others believe that these characteristics can be changed through learning and behavior training (incremental theorists). The present study provides evidence that in healthy adults (N = 688), implicit beliefs about emotions and emotional intelligence (El) may influence performance on the ability-based Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). Adults in our sample with incremental theories about emotions and El scored higher on the MSCEIT than entity theorists, with implicit theories about El showing a stronger relationship to scores than theories about emotions. Although our participants perceived both emotion and El as malleable, they viewed emotions as more malleable than El. Women and young adults in general were more likely to be incremental theorists than men and older adults. Furthermore, we found that emotion and El theories mediated the relationship of gender and age with ability El. Our findings suggest that people's implicit theories about El may influence their emotional abilities, which may have important consequences for personal and professional El training.