Emotions and Emotional Intelligence

EMOTIONS   AND   EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

                      Emotions have been referred to ‘dynamics of behavior’ which in turn refers to energies or forces that initiate activity. These are dynamic internal adjustments that operate for satisfaction and welfare of individuals. Emotions are deceptive in nature; but they play quite a significant role in guiding and directing our behavior.
                    Etymologically, the word emotion is derived from the Latin word ‘emovere’ which means ‘to stir up’ or ‘to excite’. Emotion thus can be understood as an agitated or excited state of our mind and body.
                    Emotions are currents of energy that are within us. These are one’s lifelines to self-awareness and self-preservation that deeply connect one to self and others, and to nature and cosmos.
                    Some definitions of ‘emotion’ are as under:

Oxford English Dictionary- “Emotion is any agitation or disturbance of mind, of feeling, passion any vehement or excited mental state.’

Woodworth (1945)- “Emotion is a ‘moved’ or ‘stirred-up’ state of an organism. It is a stirred-up state of feeling, that is the way it appears to the individual himself. It is a disturbed muscular and glandular activity, that is the way it appears to an external observer.’

McDougall (1949)- “Emotion is an affective experience that one undergoes during an instinctive excitement.”

Crow and Crow (1973)- “Emotion is an affective experience that accompanies generalized linear adjustment and mental and physiological stirred-up states in the individual and that shows itself in his overt behavior.”

                    Thus, emotions can be described as some sort of feelings or affective experiences which are characterized by some physiological changes that generally lead to perform some or the other type of behavioral acts. Emotions inform a person about things that are of utmost importance to him and about the values, activities and needs that lend him...