ScienceDirect. Emotional intelligence and school performance-correlational study. Nicolae Mitrofan a, Mihai-Florentin Cioricaru * PSIWORLD 2013

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1 Available online at ScienceDirect Procedia - Social and Behavioral Scienc es 127 ( 2014 ) PSIWORLD 2013 Emotional intelligence and school performance-correlational study Nicolae Mitrofan a, Mihai-Florentin Cioricaru * a Bucharest University, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences Abstract This study focuses on the significance of emotional intelligence in school. A sample group of 136 students attending "Mihai Viteazul" High School in Bucharest have been selected (68 boys and 68 girls) for this study. The Emotional Intelligence Test modified by Rocco (2004) and originally designed by Goleman and Bar-On, has been used for gathering data. School performance was determined by each individual's grades at the end of the first semester. Data analysis has revealed that a high emotional intelligence quotient is not correlated with high school performance. Also, data showed that gender plays no role in this correlation The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of PSI Romanian WORLD Society 2013 of and Applied their Guest Experimental Editors: Dr Psychology. Mihaela Chraif, Dr Cristian Vasile and Dr Mihai Anitei. Keywords:emotional intelligence, school performance; 1. Introduction The emotional intelligence as it is described by most of the authors and researchers represents a better understanding of one s own emotions, of others emotions and thus a better understanding and cohabitation with people. Also, emotional intelligence leads to a better relationship with others at all levels and a higher level of self esteem and personal value. In 1990, Salovey and Mayer defined emotional intelligence as a form of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one s own and others feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one s thinking and action (p. 189). Salovey and Mayer (1993) discovered that an emotionally intelligent person is skilled in four areas: identifying, using, understanding, and regulating emotions. * Corresponding author. Tel.: ; fax: address: florin_mihai87@yahoo.com The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of Romanian Society of Applied Experimental Psychology. doi: /j.sbspro

2 770 Nicolae Mitrofan and Mihai-Florentin Cioricaru / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 127 ( 2014 ) Over the time, authors have identified several components of emotional intelligence. Salovey (as cited in Goleman 2008) has discovered five main components: knowledge of personal emotions, the management of emotions, self-motivation, recognizing other people s emotions, relationship management. Segal (2004) has highlighted four main components of emotional intelligence: the first one aims to the experience of authentic emotions, the second one involves accepting acknowledged emotions, the third one represents the emotional consciousness and the fourth one refers to the empathy as the ability to relate to others feelings and needs. Mayer (as cited in Goleman 2008) revealed that people tend to approach different ways of handling emotions using: self-consciousness, self-confidence, emotions acceptance. Goleman (2008) underlined that intelligence is no more considered a predictor for success. According to him intelligence counts for only 20% of the total success. 80% goes to the emotional intelligence and social intelligence. Ani ei, Chraif & Minea (2013) were interested to study the effects of fatigue on impulsiveness, aspiration level, motivation on young students at psychology, Anitei, & Chraif (2012) accomplish a validation model using BARS external criterion for the core competences validation, Ani ei & Chraif (2013) highlighted possible gender differences in measuring positive and negative at high school students, Ani ei & Chraif (2013) evidenced possible correlations between perceived stressors and positive and negative emotions at Romanian youngsters, Chraif (2013) highlighted possible gender differences in mental rotation youngsters, Chraif & Ani ei (2011) evidenced that involvement in achieving International and National confer to young students at psychology greater possibility to be vocational oriented and greater level of self-esteem, Chraif, (2012) was interested to study the motivation from competition at single parent family youngsters in comparing with normal parental family. Furthermore, Golu (2012) provide a basically theoretical background regarding youth and emotional and cognitive development, Golu & Gâtej (2012) and Golu, Gâtej & Gorb nescu (2013) supported the developmental theoretical background with empirical developmental studies and Golu & Golu (2004) connected the developmental background with the social psychology during life time. 2. Objective and hypothesis 2.1 The objectives of the research This study focuses on the significance of emotional intelligence in school. The first objective is to find, if any, a link between emotional intelligence and school performance. The second objective of the present study is to identify how and if gender plays a role in that particular situation. 2.2 The hypothesis There is a correlation between emotional intelligence and school performance There is a higher value of the correlation quotient between emotional intelligence and school performance in girls than in boys. 3. The method 3.1 The participants A sample group of 136 students attending "Mihai Viteazul" High School in Bucharest have been selected (68 boys and 68 girls) for this study. There was no reward for taking part in this research and all subjects have been volunteers.

3 Nicolae Mitrofan and Mihai-Florentin Cioricaru / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 127 ( 2014 ) The instrument The Emotional Intelligence Test modified by Roco (2004) and originally designed by Goleman and Bar-On, has been used for gathering data. was determined by each individual's grades at the end of the first semester. 4. The results Collected data were computed using program SPSS, version 15. In order to test the research hypotheses the parametric Pearson correlation was used as Chraif (2013) stipulated. For testing the first hypothesis in table 2 Correlation matrix can be analyzed the results after applying Pearson correlation test: Table 1 Emotional Intelligence Statistics Std. Error Mean 100,48 2,494 95% Confidence Interval for Mean Lower Bound 95,55 Upper Bound 105,41 5% Trimmed Mean 100,80 Median 100,00 Variance 845,881 Std. Deviation 29,084 Minimum 40 Maximum 160 Range 120 Interquartile Range 44 Skewness -,054,208 Kurtosis -,703,413 Statistic Std. Error Mean 9,0753, % Confidence Interval for Mean Lower Bound 9,0034 Upper Bound 9,1471 5% Trimmed Mean 9,0887 Median 9,1000 Variance,179 Std. Deviation,42366 Minimum 7,66 Maximum 9,89 Range 2,23 Interquartile Range,68 Skewness -,391,208 Kurtosis -,031,413

4 772 Nicolae Mitrofan and Mihai-Florentin Cioricaru / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 127 ( 2014 ) Table 2 Correlation matrix Emotional Intelligence Correlation Coefficient -,064 Sig. (2-tailed),458 N 136 Data analysis has revealed that a high emotional intelligence is not correlated with high school performance. (p > 0.05). This means that a high emotional intelligence is not correlated with a high level of academic achievement. For the second hypothesis: For the female sample the descriptives showed: Emotional Intelligence Statistic Std. Error Mean 109,04 3,766 95% Confidence Interval for Mean Lower Bound 101,53 Upper Bound 116,56 5% Trimmed Mean 109,95 Median 120,00 Variance 964,371 Std. Deviation 31,054 Minimum 40 Maximum 160 Range 120 Interquartile Range 55 Skewness -,469,291 Kurtosis -,618,574 Statistic Std. Error Mean 9,0860, % Confidence Interval for Mean Lower Bound 8,9857 Upper Bound 9,1864 5% Trimmed Mean 9,0996 Median 9,1100 Variance,172

5 Nicolae Mitrofan and Mihai-Florentin Cioricaru / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 127 ( 2014 ) Std. Deviation,41461 Minimum 8,06 Maximum 9,89 Range 1,83 Interquartile Range,57 Skewness -,423,291 Kurtosis -,198,574 Correlations Emotional intelligence Correlation Coefficient -,151 Sig. (2-tailed),219 N 68 For the female sample the results showed that there is not a correlation between emotional intelligence and school performance. (p>0.05). For the male sample: Emotional intelligence Statistic Std. Error Mean 91,91 2,948 95% Confidence Interval for Mean Lower Bound 86,03 Upper Bound 97,80 5% Trimmed Mean 91,76 Median 85,00 Variance 591,067 Std. Deviation 24,312 Minimum 40 Maximum 145 Range 105 Interquartile Range 25 Skewness,100,291 Kurtosis -,208,574 Statistic Std. Error Mean 9,0646, % Confidence Interval for Mean Lower Bound 8,9592 Upper Bound 9,1699 5% Trimmed Mean 9,0748 Median 9,0800 Variance,190 Std. Deviation,43534

6 774 Nicolae Mitrofan and Mihai-Florentin Cioricaru / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 127 ( 2014 ) Minimum 7,66 Maximum 9,88 Range 2,22 Interquartile Range,71 Skewness -,365,291 Kurtosis,175,574 Correlations Rank of Rank of Emotional intelligence Correlation Coefficient,020 Sig. (2-tailed),870 N 68 For the male sample the result showed that there is not a correlation between emotional intelligence and school performance. (p>0.05). Eventually, in order to compare the two correlation quotients, an online procedure was used. (as cited in Popa, 2008). Because p=1, the hypothesis stating that there is a higher value of the correlation quotient between emotional intelligence and school performance in girls than in boys is invalidated. Data showed that gender plays no role in this correlation, thus neither boys nor girls have better school performance compared to the others when a high level of emotional intelligence is present. 5. Conclusion Given the components of emotional intelligence, the present data shows how the educational system fails in its attempt to help students develop it and to make use of it as an educational tool. Hence, we have to take in consideration the psychological profiles (Mitrofan, 2009) in order direct in a vocational guidance either the highs cool students or the undergraduate students. Considering how emotional intelligence helps an individual's development in cognition, assimilation, adaptation, operation process, and a variety of other factors, this is very significant. Our educational system is focused on accumulating increasingly vast theoretical and technical knowledge, while at the same time neglecting the value and importance of learning how to use and apply that knowledge outside of academic environment and succeeding in the attempt to become well-adjusted adults. References Ani ei, M. Chraif, M., Minea, L. (2013). Influence of Fatigue on Impulsiveness, Aspiration Level, Performance Motivation and Frustration Tolerance Among Young Romanian Psychology Students, In Vasile, C. Anitei, M. Chraif, M. (Eds.) Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, Volume 78, 13 May 2013, Pages Anitei, M., Chraif, M. (2012). Designing a Psychologists Core Competencies Validation Method using Behaviorally Anchored Rated in Zafer Bekirogullari (Ed.) Proceedings of the International Conference on Education & Educational Psychology (ICEEPSY 2012), Social and Behavioral Sciences, Volume 69, Pages Ani ei, M., Chraif, M. (2013). Gender Differences in Measuring Positive and Negative Emotions Self-perception among Romanian High School Students A Pilot Study, In Emanuel Soare Ed., Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, Volume 76, 15 April 2013, Pages Ani ei, M., Chraif, M., (2013). A Correlative Study between Perceived Stressors and Positive and Negative Emotions at Young Romanian Students A Pilot Study, In Emanuel Soare Ed., Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, Volume 76, 15 April 2013, Pages Chraif, M. (2013). Psihologie experimental, suport de curs, [Experimental psychology], Bucure ti: Ed Universitar. Chraif, M. (2013). Gender Differences in Mental Rotation at Young Romanian Students at Psychology-a Pilot Study, In Vasile, C. Anitei, M. Chraif, M. (Eds.)Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, Volume 78, 13 May 2013, Pages

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