Sadaf Tariq

Emotional Intelligence in Students: Why It Matters More Than Iq? Sadaf Tariq

New theories of intelligence have been introduced and are gradually replacing the traditional theories. The multiple intelligence theory introduced by Gardner (1983) opened doors to other theories like emotional intelligence theory by Mayer and Salovey (1990) and Goleman (1995). IQ alone is no more considered as the only measure for success; emotional intelligence, social intelligence, and luck also play a big role in a person's success in life. The term emotional intelligence? appeared in a series of academic articles authored by Mayer and Salovey (1990, 1999, and 1997). Their first article presented the first model of emotional intelligence. However, the term entered the mainstream only with Goleman (1995) who argues that IQ contributes only about 20% to success in life, and other forces contribute the rest. He also says that emotional intelligence is a new concept indeed, but the existing data imply that it can be as powerful as IQ and sometimes even more. Unlike what is claimed about IQ, we can teach and improve student in some crucial emotional competencies. Emotionally intelligent people are more likely to succeed in everything they undertake (Abraham, 1999).