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Gerald Matthews, Moshe Zeidner, and Richard Roberts. Emotional Intelligence: Science and Myth. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2003, 697 pages, $55.00 cloth.
Recently, interest in emotional intelligence has surged, accompanied by an influx of books on the topic. In this text, Matthews, Zeidner and Roberts argue that, although popularity has increased awareness of the topic, many of these popular texts are scientifically irresponsible and purely profit driven. These authors focus their attention to the scientifically irresponsible aspects of emotional intelligence. This is the first text to challenge emotional intelligence, breaking new ground by presenting a scientifically grounded critique of the basic assumptions underlying emotional intelligence research. Unlike others, this book does not ignore fundamental weaknesses of the concept or problems with measurement; instead, the book tackles these issues head-on. These authors' scathing criticisms are potentially controversial, especially to those who believe in the "mystical powers" of emotional intelligence.
The title suggests that the authors will balance an exploration of scientific and mythical elements of emotional intelligence. Although an extensive analysis of the literature is presented, it supports a one-way argument-the authors' constant criticism and skepticism of the popular movement. Some people argue that emotional intelligence is real science, and others write it off as a myth, something to please "pop psychology suckers." Rather than simply dispel emotional intelligence or blindly believe in it, these authors wish to promote critical thinking about the issues.
Specifically, the book aims to shed light on the scientific status and validity of the emotional intelligence construct. The authors attempt to disentangle factual scientific evidence from accounts grounded in media hype and anecdotal evidence. The authors argue that a scientific account of emotional intelligence requires: (a) clear conceptualization and measurement, (b) a theoretical account of individual differences in adaptation, and only then (c) an exploration of its use and potential misuse in applied settings.
Following from this, the text is organized into three sections. Part I and Part III are the most interesting to read for I-O psychologists and practitioners (these are the two I will discuss in further detail); Part II (Individual Differences and Adaptation) is highly theoretical and will only be of interest to academics studying the specific area of adaptation.
Part I surveys basic research on emotional intelligence....