Studying the association between acceptance of aggression and emotional intelligence

Abstract

Introduction. The paper presents the study of acceptance of aggression (E. Shostrom), which manifests itself as the recognition of the right of any person to disagree with another point of view, be dissatisfied in any circumstance or fact, as well as manifest negative emotions. The ability to accept aggression is a component of a person’s ability to self-actualization, which helps to prevent the accumulation of negative emotions.

The novelty of the study lies in considering the ability to accept aggression in association with parameters of emotional intelligence.

Methods. These were “EmIn” questionnaire of emotional intelligence by D. V. Lucin and SAT Self-Actualization Test (Russian adaptation of Shostrom’s Personal Orientation Inventory by Yu. E. Aleshina, L. Ya. Gozman, M. V. Zagik, and M. V. Kroz.

The study involved 53 persons aged 21–37 living in the South of Russia (Rostov-on-Don) and working in the field where effectiveness is determined by the efficiency of contacts with people, in sales management.

Results. The managers’ characteristics of emotional intelligence such as “interpersonal understanding” and “intrapersonal understanding” in managers had a positive impact on the effectiveness of management activities. This suggests that a manager’s effectiveness depends on his/her ability to recognize and understand the causes of his/her own emotions, as well as accurate and timely assessment of other people’s emotional state.

Discussion. The ability to accept aggression correlated with emotional intelligence. A high level of the ability to accept aggression corresponds to more prominent indices of the characteristics of emotional intelligence such as modulation of emotion and interpersonal emotional intelligence.