EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND COGNITIVE STYLES AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

The current study aimed to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence and cognitive styles of 3500 university students (men = 1832, women = 1662). It was found that emotional intelligence (EI) was significantly positively associated with cognitive style by using Object Spatial Imagery and Verbal Questionnaire (Blazhenkova & Kozhevnikov, 2009) and Self-Report Measure of Emotional Intelligence (Khan & Kamal, 2008). Interpersonal skills, emotional self-awareness, and verbal style were higher in women; while emotional selfregulation, object style, and spatial style are higher in men. Emotional self-awareness, spatial, and object styles were
higher in postgraduate students; while interpersonal skills and verbal style were higher in undergraduate students. Emotional self-regulation and object styles were preferred more by older students; while interpersonal skills and spatial cognitive style are preferred more by younger students.