ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Original Research

Authors

Amani   A. (* )
Esfandyari   H. (1 )
Namdari Pejman   M. (2 )
Ghaffari   A. (3 )






(* ) Psychology & Counseling Department, Humanities Faculty, Kurdistan University, Sanandaj, Iran
(1 ) Clinical Psychology Department, Psychology & Educational Sciences Faculty, Kurdistan Science & Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Iran
(2 ) Education Sciences Department, Educational Sciences Faculty, Nasibeh Pardis, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran
(3 ) Psychology & Counseling Department, Humanities Faculty, Kurdistan University, Sanandaj, Iran

Correspondence

Article History

Received:  November  11, 2013
Accepted:  January 13, 2014
ePublished:  July 7, 2014

BRIEF TEXT


Research productivity of the faculty members is associated with their abilities, profession, and other capabilities [1]. … [2] Both internal and external evaluation systems are required for higher education and research, while the present faculty members’ evaluation system lacks internal evaluation [4]. Emotional intelligence is of the effective internal characteristics on resolution, innovation, and goal-oriented performance [5]. Thorndike has identified emotional intelligence and called it as ‘social intelligence’, defining it as comprehend and management ability for interaction and human relationships [6]. Wechsler found that there were other factors except intelligence quotient, participating in one’s performance [7]. Bar-On divided the factors into five domains, identifying them as a set of non-cognitive abilities, adequacies, and skills which affected one’s abilities to cope with environmental stresses [8]. The ability of awareness of emotional states is a fundamental skill for some general categories of emotional intelligence such as impulse control, persistence, enthusiasm and self-motivation, empathy and social skills [9]. In addition, effects of emotional intelligence on flexibility [10], mental health [11], more independency, vigor, and vitality in job [12], dropouts in the colleges [5], job achievement and using compatible defense mechanism of life satisfaction [13], emotion management, empathy, and healthy interpersonal relations [5], perception and expression of emotion, and understanding emotion [14], and faculty members’ time management [15], can be mentioned. … [16, 17]

It has been shown that there is positive and significant correlation between the faculty members’ emotional literacy (self-awareness and self-management) and their educational performance [18].

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between academic literacy and emotional literacy of the university faculty members.

This is a descriptive-correlational study.

The faculty members of Kurdistan University (Iran) with the recorded research scores were studied in 2012.

From 220 faculty members, 100 persons were selected using simple random sampling method according to the Cochran’s formula.

Data were collected using the research experience survey form and Bar-On’s emotional literacy questionnaire. To obtain the academic literacy scores, educational and research scores of every faculty member were extracted from Research System and Assessment and Evaluation Unit of the university. To achieve emotional literacy scores, Bar-On’s emotional literacy questionnaire was used. The emotional literacy questionnaire is a 90-item self-assessment scale, scored as ‘fully agree’ (5 scores), ‘agree’ (4 scores), ‘no idea’ (3 scores), ‘disagree’ (2 scores), and ‘fully disagree’ (1 score) based on Likert’s scales. Its subscales are as the followings: • Intrapersonal emotional intelligence including emotional self-awareness, assertiveness, self-regard, self-actualization, and independence • Interpersonal emotional intelligence including empathy, social responsibility, and interpersonal relationship • Stress management emotional intelligence including stress tolerance and impulse control • Adaptability emotional intelligence including problem-solving, reality-testing, and flexibility • General mood emotional intelligence including happiness and optimism Total number of emotional literacy was computed through sum of all the scores of the above questions. Through Cronbach’s Alpha, parallel or similar form, and splitting half, reliability of the questionnaire was obtained 0.93. Validity of the questionnaire was reported high, through exploratory factor analysis [19]. In the present study, reliability of the questionnaire was obtained 0.81, through Cronbach’s Alpha. Data analyzed using descriptive and deductive statistical levels (Pearson correlation test and simple two-variable regression) by SPSS 20 software. Pearson correlation test was used to evaluate the correlation between academic literacy and emotional literacy [20]. To measure the correlations, simple two-variable regression test was used; and academic literacy and emotional literacy were determined as predictor variable and criterion variable, respectively.

The mean total scores of emotional literacy and academic literacy were 215.96±28.79 and 61.49±51.99, respectively. There was a positive and significant correlation between all domains of emotional literacy and total score of emotional literacy. Assessment of correlation between domains of emotional literacy showed strong correlation between them. However, there was no significant correlation between academic literacy and total number of emotional literacy and its five domains (Table 1). Having very low effects on emotional literacy and its components, academic literacy was non-predictor for intrapersonal, interpersonal, stress management, adaptability, and general mood domains, as well as total score of emotional literacy.

The results of present study, showed no significant correlation between academic literacy and emotional literacy (in general) which is inconsistent with results of some other studies [1, 8-10], while it is consistent with some other studies [3, 4, 21]. The results of present study, showed no significant correlation between academic literacy and intrapersonal domain which are inconsistent with the results of some studies [1, 8, 9], while they are consistent with the results of another study [3]. There was no significant correlation between academic literacy and interpersonal domain and failure of academic literacy in explanation of the interpersonal domain which are inconsistent with the results of some studies [5, 8, 9], while they are consistent with the results of another study [3]. In addition, there was no correlation between academic literacy and emotional literacy in the stress management domain and failure of emotional literacy in explanation of the domain which is inconsistent with some other studies [8, 9] and is consistent with another study [3]. There was no significant correlation between general adaptability and academic literacy which is inconsistent with the results of some other studies [8, 9, 15]. Failure of the academic literacy in prediction of general mood and lack of any significant correlation between these variables are inconsistent with some studies [8, 9, 12] and consistent with another study [3].

In order to include emotional literacy in the evaluation system, reforms in the current evaluation system for academic literacy ought to be done. In addition, to retest the research hypotheses, more expanded similar researches ought to be done.

Mere reliance on the faculty members of Kurdistan University and lack of a more expanded study domain were of the limitations of the present study.

There is no correlation between academic literacy and emotional literacy and its domains among the faculty members; and the high academic literacy does not necessarily show high emotional literacy as a factor determining effectiveness capability of a person.

The researchers feel grateful to Research Deputy of Kurdistan University and the faculty members.

Non-declared

Non-declared

The researchers funded the study.

TABLES and CHARTS

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