Individual Differences in Emotional Clarity and Complex Problem Solving

Abstract

Complex problem solving can be predicted to a fair degree by test intelligence. But if emotions are informative, emotional intelligence scores might increase this prediction even more. Therefore, we assessed problem solving behavior, performance, and mood in a quasi-experimental design with 63 students who varied in emotional clarity and solved problems low or high in complexity. Processing capacity served as a covariate. Results revealed that high clarity participants show more conducive problem-solving behavior with high complex problems and generally reach better performance than low clarity participants. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that emotional clarity predicts performance independent of and to the same degree as processing capacity. Finally, the ability- and mixed-model conceptions of emotional intelligence are discussed and the relationship between subjective and objective components of intelligence is questioned.