Priming ability emotional intelligence

Two studies examined whether priming self-schemas relating to successful emotional competency results in better emotional intelligence performance. In the first study participants were randomly assigned to a successful emotional competency self-schema prime condition or a control condition and then completed an ability measure of emotional intelligence (the MSCEIT). Participants in the emotional competency prime condition performed significantly better on the emotional intelligence tasks comprising the MSCEIT than those in the control condition. Participants in the second study were randomly assigned to conditions designed to prime one of the following: 1) success-related aspects of the emotional competency self-schema, 2) motivation-related aspects of the emotional competency self-schema, 3) a general emotional competency schema, or 4) attention to the self as a control condition. Participants primed for emotional competency success showed better emotional intelligence performance as assessed by the MSCEIT compared to the attention to the self control condition. The successful emotional competency prime most influenced strategic emotional functioning. These findings extend knowledge regarding the range of intelligence that can be primed and add to information relating to priming different aspects of the self-schema.

► Emotional intelligence ability can be primed.
► Priming self-schemas of successful emotional competency induces the effect.
► The effect may be explained by the active self-schema model.