EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN SOCIAL ADAPTATION

Abstract

Emotional intelligence has emerged as a key construct for understanding how individuals manage their inner emotional life and navigate complex social environments. Defined as the ability to perceive, use, understand, and regulate emotions in oneself and others, emotional intelligence contributes directly to social adaptation across the lifespan. Research shows that higher emotional intelligence is associated with better peer and family relationships, lower social stress, and more effective adjustment in school and community contexts. Emotional competencies such as accurate emotion perception, empathy, self‑regulation, and social skills enable individuals to interpret social cues, respond flexibly to interpersonal demands, and maintain constructive relationships, even under stress or in culturally diverse settings. Studies in adolescents, university students, and adults in vulnerable environments consistently find that emotional intelligence and related socio‑emotional competencies predict psychosocial adaptation, resilience, and reduced risk of maladjustment more strongly than many traditional cognitive measures. This article reviews definitions and models of emotional intelligence, analyzes empirical evidence on its relationship with social adaptation in educational and broader social contexts, and discusses implications for interventions and policy. The analysis highlights emotional intelligence as both an individual resource and a socially embedded capacity that can be cultivated through systematic education and training to promote healthier, more adaptive societies.