Overlap Between the General Factor of Personality and Emotional Intelligence: A Meta-Analysis

Dimitri van der Linden*, Keri A. Pekaar, Arnold B. Bakker, Julie Aitken Schermer, Philip A. Vernon, Curtis S. Dunkel, K. V. Petrides

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

Abstract

We examine the relationship between the general factor of personality (GFP) and emotional intelligence (EI) and specifically test the hypothesis that the GFP is a social effectiveness factor overlapping conceptually with EI. Presented is an extensive meta-analysis in which the associations between the GFP, extracted from the Big Five dimensions, with various EI measures is examined. Based on a total sample of k = 142 data sources (N = 36,268) the 2 major findings from the meta-analysis were (a) a large overlap between the GFP and trait EI (r approximate to .85); and (b) a positive, but more moderate, correlation with ability EI (r approximate to .28). These findings show that high-GFP individuals score higher on trait and ability EI, supporting the notion that the GFP is a social effectiveness factor. The findings also suggest that the GFP is very similar, perhaps even synonymous, to trait EI.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)36-52
Number of pages17
JournalPsychological Bulletin
Volume143
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • general factor of personality
  • emotional intelligence
  • meta-analysis
  • social effectiveness
  • trait EI
  • HIGHER-ORDER FACTORS
  • CRITERION-RELATED VALIDITY
  • SITUATIONAL JUDGMENT TEST
  • CAREER DECISION-MAKING
  • CORE-SELF-EVALUATIONS
  • LIFE-HISTORY THEORY
  • BIG 5
  • INCREMENTAL VALIDITY
  • PREDICTIVE-VALIDITY
  • PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Overlap Between the General Factor of Personality and Emotional Intelligence: A Meta-Analysis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this