Distinguishing emotional intelligence from standard intelligence and IQ

Intelligence vs. emotional intelligence

Intelligence is important, but recent years have brought talk of 'emotional intelligence' as well, and the two are not the same. Like intelligence, emotional intelligence is important for many things, such as schooling and instruction. However, it is important to understand the differences between the two types of intelligence. One researcher of emotional intelligence, Steven Hein (2005), states that "...each baby is born with a certain, unique potential for emotional sensitivity, emotional memory, emotional processing and emotional learning ability. It is these four inborn components which I believe form the core of one's emotional intelligence." Hein (2005) goes on to say that "...it is helpful to make a distinction [between] a person's innate potential vs. what actually happens to that potential over their lifetime."

As can be seen from that, emotional intelligence and 'standard' intelligence (IQ) are not the same. A person can be very intelligent but have little emotional intelligence, or the opposite can be true as well (George, 2000). It seems, however, that most people with high IQs have relatively high levels of emotional intelligence as well (Simpson & French, 2006). Emotional intelligence, however, has more to do with the maturity of the individual and less to do with common sense.