Thesis (M.Psych.Org.) - University of Queensland, 2006. / Includes bibliography.

Thesis (M.Ed. (Opvoedkundige Sielkunde))-Universiteit van Pretoria, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2008. / Title from title screen (site viewed Feb. 17, 2009). PDF text: vi, 135 p. ; 673 K. UMI publication number: AAT 3320078. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

The objectives of the study were: (1) to determine whether staff and leaders differ significantly in terms of their perceptions of leaders’ emotional intelligence and retention factors; (2) to investigate the relationship between personality types (as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator), emotional intelligence (as measured by the Emotional Competency Profiler), and retention factors (as measured by the Retention Factor Scale); and (3) to determine whether demographical groups differ significantly in terms of the retention factor variables. A non-probability purposive sample of 160 working adults from an organisation within the asset management industry participated in the study. The research findings indicated that there is a difference in terms of leaders’ and staff’s perceptions of leaders’ emotional intelligence and retention factors. There is a relationship between leaders’ personality types, emotional intelligence and retention factors. Biographical groups (gender, race and age groups, and business units) differed in terms of the retention factors. The findings contributed valuable new knowledge that may be used for organisational retention practices. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology

D.Litt. et Phil. / The rampant and unpredictable changes in the world of work have recently become a particular point of concern. Organisations worldwide require career agents who are more adaptable to respond appropriately to these challenges. The study aimed to firstly assemble a viable empirical career adjustment model to address these challenges. Secondly, the study differentiated and profiled four career agent groups which utilise this model in different and dynamic ways. These career agent profiles provided an exploratory and contextual platform for the third aim, to uncover a narrative of the adaptable career in the South African context. A convenience sample (n = 427) mostly representing engineers (38%), financial professions (22%) and technicians (15%) responded to three instruments which operationalised the dimensions of the proposed career adjustment model. The dimensions included in the model were the (i) Protean and Boundaryless career attitude, (ii) Emotional Intelligence and (iii) Work-Stressor experience. These dimensions were operationalised by (i) the Protean (Self-Directed Career Management and Values Driven scale) and Boundaryless (Organisationally Mobile and Boundaryless Mindset scale) career attitude scales, (ii) the BarOn EQ-i composite scales (Intrapersonal EQ, Interpersonal EQ, Adaptability, Stress Management and General Mood) and (iii) selected scales from the Sources of Work Stress Inventory (Lack of Autonomy and Workload). These instruments were tested for reliability and validity which provided acceptable results in terms of Cronbach alphas and EFA. The Protean and Boundaryless career attitude (PBca) instrument showed less reliable results with the Values Driven scale (α = .65). The SDCM scale produced more reliable results (α = .74). The BM and OM scales rendered the most reliable results (α = .86 and α = .87 respectively). The other instruments reflect excellent alpha iii coefficients ranging from α = .80 to α = .92 for the SWSI and from α = .81 to α = .96 for the BarOn EQ-i composite scales. The EFA of the PBca was primarily guided by the theoretical structure to extract four factors. A similar process followed for the SWSI rendered excellent factor loadings for General Work Stress (GWS), LA and WL. In the empirical construction of the career adjustment model both the use of correlations and hierarchical multiple regression rendered statistically significant results for the intercorrelations between the proposed dimensions of the model. The correlation results (within and between the dimensions) were as expected except for Organisational Mobility and Self-Directed Career Management which did not correlate significantly. Together the three dimensions predicted approximately 32% to 33% of the explained variance in GWS (i.e. the dependent variable chosen to represent a subjective experience of career adjustment). Overall, the findings supported the proposition that the model could be utilised as a viable career adjustment model. The non-hierarchical clustering analysis provided four significantly different clusters based on the PBca scales which were labelled the Protean (P), the Non- Protean (NP), the Organisationally Mobile Protean (OMp) and the Boundaryless Minded Protean (BMp). The Protean clusters all shared the Self-Directed Career Management and Values-Driven scale. These clusters were distinctly different after considering their attributes which originated from the BarOn EQ-i composites and SWSI scales. The most significant factors (attributes) revealed after conducting Descriptive Discriminant Analysis (DDA) where AD, RA, SM, GM and LA. The DDA procedure rendered Lack of Autonomy (SWSI) and Adaptability (EQ-i) as the most significant discriminators. This lead to the profiling of career agent types, namely the Protean Career Architect, the Conglomerate Citizen (study specific), the Solid Citizen and the Traditionalist. With these career agent profiles as basis an attempt was made to explore how their careers can unfold in the South African context.

M.A. / Burnout has been researched extensively within the work context, however, burnout amongst the student population yielded a dearth of information. Burnout amongst students can be considered as a loss of motivation to engage in academic study (Mostert, Pienaar, Gauche & Jackson, 2007) and could place students’ academic futures in jeopardy (Struthers, Perry & Menec, 20030). More research in this field was required. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the level of burnout and emotional intelligence in a postgraduate university population. The study also aimed to assess whether any relationship existed between burnout and emotional intelligence. The sample consisted of 225 postgraduate participants from a large metropolitan university. Each participant completed a biographical questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey and the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire- Short Form. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey yielded three results. Professional efficacy yielded the highest mean score, emotional exhaustion the second highest mean score and cynicism obtained the lowest mean score. The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire- Short Form yielded a relatively high mean for emotional intelligence. The relationships between the scores on the measures of emotional intelligence and burnout were investigated by means of Pearson’s product-moment correlation. Significant correlations were found between the three dimensions of burnout and emotional intelligence. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between emotional intelligence and exhaustion (r = -0.257; p < 0.01). There was also a statistically significant negative correlation between emotional intelligence and cynicism (r = -0.366; p < 0.01). There was a significant positive correlation between professional efficacy and emotional intelligence (r = 0.428; p < 0.01). It appears as if the higher the level of emotional intelligence, the lower the levels of burnout specifically emotional exhaustion and cynicism. This study has implications for students who may suffer from burnout during their university studies. It allows individuals who are involved with students to recognise the huge impact that burnout may have on a student’s life; psychologically, physically, cognitively and behaviourally. This study also provides information on how levels of emotional intelligence can affect levels of burnout. Furthermore, an important aspect of emotional intelligence is that certain areas of emotional intelligence can be learned and increased. If students are taught to increase their levels of emotional intelligence, they may be able to manage stress more efficiently.

Emotional intelligence has been a recent topic of evaluation within the scholarly world. This is due to its importance for personal development and the effectiveness of institutions within society. Currently two models of emotional intelligence have emerged. These are the ability model by Salovey and Mayer and the mixed model by Goleman. Although, Goleman popularized the concept of emotional intelligence (after its inception) the ability model of emotional intelligence is academically and scientifically more accurate as an intelligence. Its importance is viewed highly for the personal development and the effectiveness of medical, educational and business institutions. This is due to the fact that these institutions concern themselves with the well being of humanity’s functioning and development and are aware of just how much our emotional regulation effects our behaviour and work performance. The problem statement can be seen in the fact that most institutions in society, concerned with the well being of humanity, are valuing emotional intelligence highly, except for the church. This seems strange due to the fact that the church is also an institution concerned with the well being of humanity and that many church members are spiritually effective, but are emotionally ineffective in their dealings with others. As emotional intelligence could be effective within the church’s ministry, as with other institutions, a theological evaluation is necessary. This is to see whether emotional intelligence is important for the functioning of the church and its effectiveness and to see whether it is in accordance with what the church believes concerning humanity and God. If so, then the application of emotional intelligence would be important and necessary for the effectiveness and relevance of the church in society. Within this evaluation the Bible was used as source of measurement. Presuppositions concerning both theology and emotional intelligence were identified and were found to be similar. An evaluation on both the ability and mixed model was done, so as to provide a thorough investigation. A theological evaluation did identify the cause for our inability to control our emotional impulses. This, the Bible identifies as selfishness. Goleman refers to selfishness, but fails to see this as the reason for our inability to “reign in emotional impulse”. A theological evaluation however, does therefore propose that emotional intelligence be used to identify and regulate our emotions, but also (if possible) our selfish motivations, interacting with our emotions and in this way causing our destructive behavior. Further research is important, so as to provide a clearer picture of its application and importance within the church and for the emotional, physical and spiritual functioning of humanity within society. / Dr. LJ Erasmus

Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom(IPS) / This study focused on the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and self-efficacy amongst teachers in the Western Cape. Teachers are often emotionally overwhelmed by having to meet the demands and expectations set by the education system, parents, colleagues and learners (Coetzee & Jansen, 2007). The South African educational system is in a transitional stage. The lack of discipline in schools, the abolishment of corporal punishment, unmotivated learners, redeployment, retrenchments and retirement packages for teachers, large pupil-teacher ratios and a new curriculum approach all contribute to raising the stress levels of teachers (Ngidi & Sibaya, 2002). Teachers also experience intense, emotion-laden interactions on a daily basis and experience a great number of emotional demands compared to other professionals (Burke & Greenglass, 1995). In particular, primary school teachers in socially deprived areas at times are considered to be more a child-welfare assistant than a conventional school teacher (Eacute & Esteve, 2000). Salovey and Mayer (1990) define EI as the ability of people to deal with their emotions. The definition goes further to suggest that EI is the subset of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one's own and others' feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one‟s thinking and action (Salovey & Mayer, 1990, as cited in Ream, 2010). Developing an individual‟s self-efficacy creates a regulation of self-awareness, which is essential in developing emotions. According to Bandura (1997), self-awareness creates a strong connection to self-efficacy, as self-efficacy emphasises selfawareness and self-regulation as factors influencing the development of self-efficacy beliefs. EI and self-efficacy merge as an individual interprets organisational realities by the ability to recognise thoughts, feelings and behaviours through self-awareness, regulation and control (Bandura, 1997). In order to enable teachers to cope effectively with these demands, this study aimed to determine the relationship between EI and self-efficacy of teachers. According to Gundlach, Marinko and Douglas (2003), the mental processes of self-efficacy can be impacted by emotions as "emotions left uncontrolled can interfere with the cognitive processing of information that can be vital to task performance" (p. 234). It can be deduced that a person with low EI and low self-efficacy will likely struggle in maintaining order in his/her daily tasks. Ream (2010) states that when individuals are able to control their emotions, make accurate attributions with regard to past workplace events and objectively understand how their emotions and attributions influence their thoughts, feelings and expectancies about future workplace events, they are better able to enhance their self-efficacy beliefs. However, when organisational members are unable to control their emotions and fail to make objective attributions with regard to causation, it is likely that they will underestimate their capabilities and that their self-efficacy perceptions will suffer (Gundlach et al., 2003). The study targeted teachers at various primary schools in the Western Cape. The respondents were asked to answer a self-administered consolidated questionnaire consisting of a biographical survey, the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Both these tests have been demonstrated to be psychometrically sound and their reliability and validity have been extensively reported on and supported in numerous studies. The sample group (n = 90) consisted of male and female teachers, and convenience sampling was utilised to select the sample. The key findings of this study suggest that there is no significant relationship between the EI and self-efficacy of teachers and their demographic profile. Consistent with theoretical and empirical research by Penrose, Perry and Ball (2007) and Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk-Hoy (2001), the present investigation demonstrated that neither gender nor age nor race was significantly related to the self-efficacy levels of teachers. This study enriches the literature regarding teachers' EI and self-efficacy by exploring the existence and extent of the relationship between these two variables.

Successful entrepreneurial activity is important for a healthy economy and can be a major source of job creation. While the concept of entrepreneurship has been around for quite some time, researchers continue to explore the factors that underlie entrepreneurial performance. Specifically, researchers have sought to further examine why some entrepreneurial ventures are more successful than others. the concept of emotional intelligence (EI) has gained the attention of researchers and practitioners alike. Practitioners have realized that employees can no longer be perceived as biological machines that are capable of leaving their feelings, norms, and attitudes at home when they go to work. Researchers are embracing the concept of emotional intelligence because of its relationship with efficiency, productivity, sales, revenues, quality of service, customer loyalty, employee recruitment and retention, employee commitment, employee health and satisfaction, and morale. While there is considerable evidence documenting the effects of emotional intelligence on leadership performance, job performance in large firms, and educational performance, very little research has examined how emotional intelligence affects entrepreneurial performance and the variables that account for this relationship. Individuals in entrepreneurial occupations face business situations that necessitate unique skills and abilities in social interactions. Emotional intelligence has implications for entrepreneurial situations and social interactions such as negotiation, obtaining and organizing resources, identifying and exploiting opportunities, managing stress, obtaining and maintaining customers, and providing leadership. the primary purpose of this study is to investigate emotional intelligence in the context of entrepreneurship. in addition, the study will shed light on the mediating effects of individual competencies, organizational tasks, and the environmental culture and climate. the results of the study provide insights for emotional intelligence researchers, entrepreneurship researchers, individuals with entrepreneurial aspirations, academic institutions, as well as government and financial entities that provide resources to new ventures.