Emotional Intelligence in University Students: Analysis of Individual Differences (Gender and Age)

Abstract

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a complex conceptualization widely discussed in the literature.

This research analyzed individual differences (gender and age) in EI among university students in Portugal. Data were obtained through an online questionnaire. The sample (n = 570) was obtained through the “snowball sampling” technique. EI was measured using the portuguese version of the WLEIS instrument, which assesses four dimensions. The researchers applied the t-student test to check for differences between genders in the four dimensions of EI. Pearson's correlation was also used to investigate whether there is a relationship between age and the four dimensions of EI. The results obtained indicate that men obtained higher EI scores in most dimensions compared to women. It was also found that most EI dimensions are positively correlated with age. These results are in line with recent studies.