Dilchert, S., Ones, D. S., Van Rooy, D. L., & Viswesvaran, C.
In F. Avallone, H. K. Sinangil, & A. Caetano (Eds.),
Convivence in organizations and society (pp. 161-168).
Milan, Italy: Guerini Studio.
(2005)

Emotional intelligence (EI) has dramatically gained in popularity over the last ten years. In recent years, the construct bas seen increased numbers of applications in diverse domains (Matthews, Zeidner, & Roberts, 2002) and has been touted as an essential ingredient for success in school, higher education, and the workplace (see, for example, Gibbs, 1995; Goleman. 1995). claims have been made that EI is an essential ingredient for successful relationships in all walks of life. Several recent works (see Murphy, in press; Van Rooy, Dilchert. Viswesvaran, & Ones, in press; Van Rooy & Viswesvaran, 2004) have evaluated the numerous claims regarding the utility of EI in applied contexts. The aim of this paper is to revisit validity and measurement issues, but to outline different conceptualizations of EI, and sketch its role in navigating through relationships in organizational contexts. The paper is organized into two main sections. In the first section, we review the different conceptualizations of the construct found in the scientific literature and summarize the differences between them. In the second section, we discuss potential process mechanisms through which EI relates to interpersonal behaviors in organizations.