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Differences in emotional intelligence among physical education teachers
Section 13. Physical Education
Vrbnjak Susa, PhD in Kinesiology, High School Franc Miklosic Ljutomer, Slovenia, Teacher of Physical Education E-mail: [email protected]
Differences in emotional intelligence among physical education teachers
Abstract: The purpose of the study was to determine whether there are any statistically significant differences in emotional intelligence among physical educations teachers. The study included 439 Slovenian teachers of physical education. We explored differences between male and female teachers and between teachers of younger and older age. Our results have shown that there are statistically significant differences between genders, while the young teachers do not differ significantly from the older ones.
Keywords: emotional intelligence, physical education teachers, analysis of differences, discriminant function.
Introduction. Emotional intelligence is a relatively young term, which is still being developed and discussed. In the beginning, the only adequate measure of intelligence accepted by scientists was the intelligence quotient [6, 387]. However, research eventually distanced itself from this narrow point of view. Although emotional intelligence had already been discussed in 1920, the term itself appeared no earlier than at the beginning of the 1990s, when American psychologists Mayer and Salovey began studying it from a scientific perspective [7, 163-170]. Nowadays there are many definitions of emotional intelligence. One of the simplest definitions is provided by Weisinger, who defines it as the intelligent use of emotions on a personal as well as the interpersonal level [14]. It involves expressing, understanding, using and managing emotions in a way which purposefully contributes to the types of behaviour and thinking, which are beneficial for us. Emotional intelligence was similarly defined by Mayer and Salovey. They describe it is a type of social ability which pertains to processes, such as perceiving, using, managing, controlling and understanding our own emotions and the emotional states of others, differentiating between them and
using this information to direct our thoughts and behaviour. Emotional characteristics that are important for success also include: controlling your mood, independence, adaptability, a feeling of popularity, solving interpersonal issues, perseverance, benevolence, kindness and respect [8, 5-7]. Goleman presents emotional intelligence as an alternative to classic intelligence, which facilitates the prediction of success in different areas of life and proves that human abilities of self-awareness, selfdiscipline, perseverance and empathising with others are more important in life than intelligence [2]. Before the 1990s the rational side of life was overly emphasized as the only meaningful value. This view of human nature, which excludes the power of emotions, is extremely short-sighted. In fact, feelings are equally important and often even more important than rational thought. When feelings prevail, intelligence loses all its power [3]. While the intelligence quotient generally remains the same throughout life, our emotional intelligence constantly develops and improves [1, 1387-1400]. We can nurture, develop and increase it.
Similarly, being a teacher does not only involve knowledge, expertise and ability, but also requires
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Section 13. Physical Education
emotional activity. This awareness, that emotions play an important role in the teaching context, has become one of the key factors in understanding this profession [11, 443-454]. Recent research on emotional intelligence has broadened the understanding of this concept within the teaching profession. A study that included over one thousand teachers of elementary and secondary schools in America has generated a normal result distribution. Some teachers expressed a low level of emotional intelligence, some a high level, while the majority was found to have an average level of emotional intelligence [12, 35-40]. Some scientists have confirmed the strong connection between emotional intelligence and teaching efficiency and claim that this type of intelligence does not depend upon the age, gender, status or experiences of a teacher [10, 124]. Other research produced different results. When exploring differences in emotional intelligence based on gender, scientists have established that female teachers achieved higher levels of emotional intelligence than male teachers. The results also suggest that emotional intelligence increases with years [4, 129-145]. Gender differences among teachers and in general have also been confirmed by other scientists [1, 1387-1402; 9, 267-298].
Based on these conflicting results, our study aimed to establish whether the emotional intelligence of younger physical education teachers differs significantly from that of older teachers and whether there are any differences between male and female teachers. We formulated two hypotheses. H1: Older physical education teachers (> 45 years) statistically significantly differ from younger physical education teachers (< 45 years) in their level of emotional intelligence. And H2: Male teachers of physical education statistically significantly differ from female teachers in their level of emotional intelligence.
Methods. The study included 439 teachers of physical education that were employed in elementary and secondary schools in Slovenia in the school year 2009/2010 and have a higher education. The sample was comprised of 247 male respondents (56.3 %) and 192 female respondents (43.7 %). They were split into two age groups. The first group included respondents younger than 45 (N = 236; 53.8 %), the other respondents aged 45 or more (N = 203; 46.2 %).
Instruments. We used the Taksic Emotional Skills and Competences Questionnaire [13], consisting of 45 self-report items, which are rated by the respondents using a five-point scale (1 -does not apply, 5-always applies). The questionnaire measures three dimensions: the ability to perceive and understand emotions, the ability to express and label emotions and the ability to manage emotions.
Research methods. The data was processed with the SPSS statistical package version 17 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences, Inc. Chicago IL). We analysed the data by using descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance and discriminant function analysis. The last two helped us determine the differences in the before-mentioned dimensions of emotional intelligence between younger and older teachers and between female and male physical education teachers. Statistical significance was checked at a 5 % risk (P < 0.05).
Results. It is evident that there are no statistically significant differences in the emotional intelligence of younger and older physical education teachers. The discriminant analysis revealed one function, which statistically significantly differentiates younger teachers of physical education from older ones. However, the dimensions of emotional intelligence have a low correlation with the function (understanding emotions -0.21; expressing emotions 0.08; managing emotions -0.06).
Table 1. - Comparison of emotional intelligence results between younger and older teachers of physical education
Younger Older
Dimensions N M SD N M SD F Sig (F)
Understanding emotions 236 57.05 7.47 203 56.13 7.36 1.67 0.20
Expressing emotions 236 47.38 6.69 203 47.73 6.50 0.31 0.58
Managing emotions 236 59.66 6.15 203 59.45 5.45 0.14 0.71
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Differences in emotional intelligence among physical education teachers
Results showed that the emotional intelligence the understanding and expressing emotions dimen-of male teachers is statistically significantly differ- sions, but not in the managing emotions dimension.
ent from that of female physical education teachers. Female teachers are better at perceiving and under-
The statistically significant differences are present in standing emotions as well as at expressing them.
Table 2. - Comparison of emotional intelligence results between male and female teachers of physical education
Male Female
Dimensions N M SD N M SD F Sig (F)
Understanding emotions 247 55.70 7.62 192 57.81 7.00 8.86 0.00
Expressing emotions 247 46.36 6.25 192 49.10 6.74 18.80 0.00
Managing emotions 247 59.40 5.86 192 59.80 5.80 0.59 0.44
The differences in emotional intelligence between males and females were also determined by using a discriminant analysis. The analysis revealed one function, which statistically significantly differentiates male teachers from female physical education teachers. The dimensions, which have the highest correlation with the discriminant function and significantly separate males from females, include perceiving and understanding emotions (0.38) and expressing emotions (0.55).
Conclusions. Based on the obtained results, we have rejected the hypothesis (H1), which presupposes that older physical education teachers (> 45 years) statistically significantly differ from younger physical education teachers (< 45 years) in their level of emotional intelligence. Our results have shown that there are no statistically significant differences in emotional intelligence between younger and older teachers of physical education. Research done by other authors has also confirmed that emotional intelligence is not dependent upon the age, status or experiences of a teacher [10, 120-125]. Other researchers claim that emotional intelligence increases with age [4, 129-145], while some have established that younger people are better at managing emotions than older people [5]. Authors of some studies have also suggested that emotional intelligence depends on the situation in which the teacher is placed. They determined that beginner teachers who have a higher emotional intelligence behave differently in various situations-depending on positive or negative emotions-than those with less developed emotional intelligence.
The analysis of variance has confirmed the second hypothesis (H2), since we established that male teachers are statistically significantly different from
female physical education teachers in their level of emotional intelligence. The differences between male and female teachers could be observed in two dimensions. Female teachers are better at perceiving and understanding emotions as well as expressing them, while there are no gender differences in the managing of emotions. Unlike male teachers, female teachers are better at precisely observing and perceiving the emotions of others as well as at evaluating their sincerity. They are more able to discern the meaning of these emotions, perceive the transitions between individual emotions and to understand complex emotions. Female teachers are also better at expressing their own emotions, at monitoring them and managing them in social situations. These findings are consistent with numerous other studies, which confirm a higher level of emotional intelligence in women [1; 5; 9]. Perry and Ball believe that research on gender differences in emotional intelligence is still unclear and conclude that men and women are equally emotionally intelligent but show differences in various areas of emotional intelligence. They underline the usefulness of studies which reveal differences within the measured results. Women have been found to be more emotionally intelligent when measuring empathy and social responsibility, while men are better at reacting to stress and have higher tolerance and self-esteem [11, 443-454].
Emotional intelligence is a considerable indicator of success in important areas of life and in personal advancement [2]. Emotional intelligence is, therefore, without doubt very important for the successful work of female, male, younger and older teachers. Teachers with higher emotional intelligence are better at acknowledging their own emotions and the emotions of others and are more
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Section 13. Physical Education
attentive to the needs of their pupils than to their with pupils, create a genuine learning environment
own. They can efficiently manage their emotional and provide opportunities, which go beyond simple
responses and in this way encourage interactions teacher-pupil knowledge transfer.
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