Exploring the Interface of the Type and Emotional Intelligence Landscapes

During the past 10 years, there has been considerable interest in the Type community about the relationship of Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Psychological Type. Recently, attempts have been made (Dulewicz & Higgs, 1999; Higgs, 2001; Pearman, 2001a, 2001b; Lawrence, 2001; Torrington, 2001; Farnsworth, Gilbert and Armstrong, 2002; Sitarenios, 2004, Maddocks, 2004; Engstrom, 2005; Richmond, Rollins & Brown, 2005; and Thompson, 2006) to identify what relationship, if any, there is between EI and the MBTI instrument. For the most part, the results have been mixed, with the exception of Thompson (2006), in that there seems to be a positive relationship between overall EI and the MBTI scales of Extraverting and iNtuiting and mixed findings on the other preferences. Thompson’s study is the most comprehensive research on Type and EI to date and the only study to examine the MBTI Form Q facets and EI. More information about this particular study will be provided later in this article.