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- Class Lesson: Lesson 4: The Trait Model of EI

Lesson 4: The Trait Model of EI

Lesson Summary: While the Ability Model is highly pragmatic and focuses on outward results,
the Trait Model is geared more toward emotional self-perception.

The Trait Model of EI

The Trait Model of Emotional Intelligence was first developed by psychologist Konstantin Vasily
Petrides and provides a very different understanding of Emotional Intelligence than the Ability
Model. While the Ability Model is highly pragmatic and focuses on outward results, the Trait
Model is geared more toward emotional self-perception. Essentially, Trait EI evaluates how an
individual perceives their emotional abilities. These emotional abilities, and their perception of
them, then affect their behaviors and perceived cognitive and behavioral abilities. This construct
can also be referred to as emotional self-efficacy as it resides almost wholly in the perceptions of
the individual, rather than by any objective measures. Because of this, Trait EI is highly resistant
to any academic or scientific measurement. While this is true of most self-reporting, the complete
lack of any objective measures in the Trait Model makes it particularly difficult to prove or
disprove.

Nevertheless, this is actually not as far off as it may seem from the overall definition of Emotional
Intelligence. Throughout different models of Emotional Intelligence, they all come back to the
same essential qualities: the understanding and regulation of one's own emotions and the
understanding and regulation (or adaptation due to) the emotions of others. While the Trait Model
is very different from the Ability Model, they both still reflect these core elements. For the Trait

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Model, the role of self-perception obviously affects the recognition and regulation of the person's
own emotions. The recognition and regulation of the emotions of others within the Trait Model
construct is the recognition that many people have the ability to comprehend and affect others in
a natural and virtually effortless way when they recognize and play to their own individual natural
personality characteristics. In other words, the Trait Theory relies on the assumption that once a
person is able to recognize and utilize their own emotions and the strengths of their personality,
they will then be well-equipped to understand and regulate the emotions of those with whom they
interact.

The Trait Model of Emotional Intelligence essentially has to be conducted within a framework of
understanding an individual's personality. Because it relies so heavily on personality
characteristics, it is impossible to evaluate someone's EQ using the Trait Model without
performing (either previously or simultaneously) a personality evaluation. But because it relies
so much on personality, some psychologists do not believe that the Trait Model of EQ has
validity as a measure of EQ at all, because it relies so heavily on personality. Some EQ theorists
believe that EQ is meant to be within the framework of cognitive-emotional ability, rather than
personality characteristics. Facets of personalities that relate directly to Emotional Intelligence,
which are measured within the Trait Model, include adaptability, assertiveness, emotion
expression, emotion management of others, emotion perception (of self and others), emotion
regulation, impulsiveness, relationships, self-esteem, self-motivation, social awareness, stress
management, trait empathy, trait happiness, and trait optimism.

The Trait Model has historically been evaluated using self reports in a variety of
formats. Typically, these evaluations include limited measures of personality characteristics and
traits, rather then cognitive abilities or skills. Over time, the Trait Emotional Intelligence
Questionnaire, a thorough evaluation using the Trait Model, has been utilized and researched in
many different countries around the world. The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire
encompasses 15 sub-scales within the context of four major factors: self-control, well being,
emotionality, and sociability. The psychometric properties of this evaluation have been
investigated in different countries and scores have been found to be normally distributed and
reliable on a global scale. Recent studies, when comparing the Trait Emotional Intelligence
Questionnaire with other EI tests, have found it to be particularly valid scientifically. The success
of this test, particularly given the fact that it is based on self reporting, has presented researchers

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of EI with better methods of self-report and subjective evaluations that may be more reliable than
previously understood. It has also lent much more credence to the legitimacy of the Trait Model.

Moreover, researchers also found that the scores from the Trait Emotional Intelligence
Questionnaire have been found to relate positively to some of the Big Five personality traits, (as
expected) as well as inversely related to other characteristics of the Big Five. Researchers also
found the scores of this test were unrelated to nonverbal reasoning, which has been interpreted
as support for the interpretation of EQ as being personality-based, as opposed to true
intelligence-based. Many genetic studies have also been completed with the Trait Model, which
have found statistically significant genetic characteristics for all aspects of Trait EI.

Much of the research currently being done on EI as an overall theory is being conducted using
the Trait Model. Because the Trait Model recognizes the inherent subjectivity of human emotion, it
provides a much broader domain for research. Of course, some of this research can be
performed incorrectly, even assuming that all self-reporting is valid and relevant for their EI
research; self-reporting is so poorly received in the scientific setting for a number of reasons. The
success of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire should not be indicative or validating to
all (or even most) other research into EI.

One of the more compelling and convincing arguments for the Trait Model of EI is that, unlike
the Ability Model, it recognizes that certain personality characteristics and emotional responses
may be ideal or positive in certain situations, but may not be ideal for other situations. What
makes someone great at their job, for example, may be the same characteristics that may make
them a less successful spouse or parent. The characterization of an individual is understood to
be different in terms of advantage, based on different scenarios, which essentially creates an
adaptive value of Emotional Intelligence. The Trait Model, because it does not recognize any
ideal level or type of EQ, may make research into EQ more comprehensive and allow for more
individualization, but it certainly does not lend itself to use within a professional capacity, such
as using EQ to hire, manage, or train employees.

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When it comes to EQ, there is a general assumption that changing or maximizing your Emotional
Intelligence is worthwhile and always a positive endeavor. Trait Theory somewhat challenges this
assumption. Although it acknowledges that there is some room for change and growth, it also
adheres to the idea that most of your personality is ingrained. Because it relies so heavily on
personality characteristics, this model holds that a certain level of your EQ and EQ-related
behaviors will stem from your automatic responses, rather than learned or changed
ones. Moreover, Trait theory does not necessarily promote the concept that changing your EQ is
good. Because it allows for a level of adaptability, it therefore must respect that while someone's
Emotional Intelligence may lack in certain ways, it may be excellent in other ways, given different
circumstances. Therefore, many proponents of the Trait Model argue that unless a person
demonstrates emotional or personality disorders or unhealthy patterns, it is not necessarily
feasible or realistic, fair, or accurate to promote certain characteristics and emotional behaviors
over others.

While the Trait Model and Ability Model clearly both seek the knowledge and power to
change emotions, many researchers and scientists hold that they are in two completely
separate constructs. This distinction is important because it recognizes that any necessary
changes to the operationalization of one theory does not require changes to the
operationalization of the other.

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