Emotional Intelligence predicts individual

differences in social exchange reasoning

D. Reis, M. Brackett, N. Shamosh, K. Kiehl, P. Salovey

& J. Gray

IntroductionEmotional Intelligence (EI) The ability to monitor one’s own and

others’ emotions and to use the information to guide thinking and actions (Salovey and Mayer, 1990)

Correlated with interpersonal social competence (Brackett et al., 2006)

The Mayer Salovey Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEI)

Basic information processing mechanisms?

IntroductionSocial exchange reasoning Reasoning about the mutually beneficial

exchange of goods or benefits between individuals

Require the ability to discern others’ motives and intentions

Evolutionary Different from precautionary reasoning?

Correlated with Harm Avoidance (HA)? (threat sensitivity)

IntroductionNeuroimaging fMRI

Structural and functional images Hemodynamic activities

Hypothesis

Higher EI would be associated with better performance and the

recruitment of brain areas thought to be important for social

reasoning.

Experimental TaskWason Card Selection Task (Wason, 1968) Given a rule “if P then have to Q,” and 4

cards depicting different situations (P, not-P, Q, not-Q) “definitely turn over” or “no need to turn

over” e.g. “if you borrow my motorcycle, then

you have to wash it” (P= borrow motor cycle, Q=wash it)Borrowed

the motorcycl

e

Did not borrow

motorcycle

Washed the

motorcycle

Did not wash the motorcycl

e

“if you borrow my motorcycle, then you have to wash it” (P= borrow motor cycle, Q=wash it)

Borrowed the

motorcycle

Did not borrow

motorcycle

Washed the

motorcycle

Did not wash the motorcycl

e

Wason Card Selection Task 3 variations of problems:

Social exchange “If you borrow my car, then you have

to fill up the tank with gas.” Precautionary

“If you surf in cold water, then you have to wear a wetsuit

Descriptive “If the soda is diet, then it has to be

in a purple container

MethodsBehavioral study N=481. Brief tutorial on the

Wason task2. Administer MSCEIT 3. HA assessed from

the Temperament and Character Inventory (Cloninger et al., 1994)

4. 30 problems of Wason task (20s to read, 4s to respond)

fMRI study N=161. fMRI acquisition: four

run of 12 reasoning problems

2. fMRI analysis: reasoning vs. baseline (fixation)

3. Region-of-interest analyses using prefrontal and temporal Brodmann areas

Result: Behavioral Study

Higher EI predicted faster RT on social exchange problems (pr(42)=-0.39, p=0.0008)Higher score on HA test predicted faster RT on precautionary reasoning problems (pr(42)=-0.32, p=0. 036)

Behavioral Study- cont’dFaster RT and higher accuracy for reasoning problems related to social exchange and precautions than descriptive problems

Result: Neuroimaging Study

EI predicted neural activity during social reasoning in 2 key areas Left frontal polar

region Left temporal cortex

EI negatively correlated with activation during social reasoning

Neuroimaging Study- cont’d

Social Reasoning Right medial frontal

gyrus Temporal lobe Some parts of

occipital cortex Frontal cortex

Precautionary Reasoning Posterior cingulate

cortex Anterior cingulate

cortex Parahippocampal gyrus

Neural mechanisms in social vs. precautionary reasoning

DiscussionEI is more related to social exchange reasoning than precautionary reasoning Distinct patterns of hemodynamic activity Behavioral patterns

Left frontal polar and temporal cortices are necessary for successful social exchange reasoning Cooperation, working memory, executive

control and emotion-cognition interactions

Strengths and Limitations

Definite conclusionsResponse times assessed

Repeated-measuresBaseline condition for comparison (fixation)Small imaging sample size