Ability (Experiential and Strategic) Emotional Intelligence in Working Memory Updating: Inhibiting Emotional vs Non-Emotional Distractors

Abstract

This thesis examined the relationship between ability emotional intelligence (EI) and working memory (WM) performance under emotional interference. Although previous research has suggested that ability EI may be associated with performance on cognitive tasks involving emotional material, these associations have not been examined within a single experimental paradigm. To address this gap, six fully within-subjects studies (N = 357) were conducted using an n-back task called the Emotional Flanker N-back (EFLNB). The EFLNB assessed continuous WM updating across verbal and visual domains while manipulating memory load, target type, and the valence of distracting flankers. Ability EI was measured using the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test.

Across studies, emotional flankers generally impaired working memory performance relative to neutral flankers, indicating the presence of emotional interference effects. However, the association between ability EI and task performance was not uniform. Higher Strategic EI was generally associated with better performance, particularly under conditions of greater cognitive load and interference, consistent with the possibility that emotion understanding and regulation may be related to performance when executive demands are high. In contrast, Experiential EI showed a more variable pattern. In some conditions, higher Experiential EI was associated with slower responses under emotional interference, which may reflect greater sensitivity to emotional stimuli.

Overall, the findings suggest that Experiential EI and Strategic EI were differentially associated with cognitive performance under emotional interference. The results are consistent with a differentiated account of ability EI and suggest that its components may be related to executive processes involved in updating and inhibitory control. These findings contribute to understanding ability EI as a cognitive-emotional ability.