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WAYS TO ACTIVATE THE COMPONENTS OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
THROUGH COMMUNICATION
Abrayeva Mehrangiz Bekmirza kizi
Master's student in the specialty of Theory and History of Pedagogy,
Uzbek-Finnish Pedagogical Institute
E-mail: mehrm0275@gmail.com
Abstract:
This article examines methods for activating emotional intelligence (EI) components
through communication. The study was conducted on the example of 2nd grade students and
aimed to observe how their emotional awareness, empathy, and self-control skills develop. The
results showed that interactive communication methods - role-playing games, group discussions,
active listening techniques - can significantly develop students' EI components. The study was
conducted on the basis of EI theories put forward by Goleman (1995), Salovey and Mayer (1990),
as well as Vygotsky (1978). The article contains scientific and practical recommendations for
integrating EI development into the educational process.
Keywords:
emotional intelligence, communication, empathy, self-control, emotional awareness,
primary education.
Introduction
Emotional intelligence (EI) is one of the important research areas of modern psychology and
pedagogy. As Goleman (1995) noted, an individual’s academic achievement and success in life
are related not only to intellectual ability (IQ), but also to his emotional intelligence. EI
represents a person’s ability to understand his own emotions, understand others, and adapt to the
social environment (Salovey & Mayer, 1990). Research shows that these abilities are formed and
can be developed especially in childhood (Bar-On, 2006).
Nowadays, in the educational process, along with academic knowledge, the development of
students’ emotional and social abilities remains an urgent task. In particular, communication is
considered one of the most effective means of forming the components of EI. Children develop
emotional awareness, empathy, and self-control through communication. This study is devoted to
this issue and analyzes the features of the development of EI based on observations conducted
among 2nd grade students.
The purpose of the study is to determine how the components of EI can be activated through
communication.
The objectives of the study:
• Assess the level of development of children's emotional awareness;
• Study the changes in empathy and social relationships;
• Analyze the methods of forming self-control and emotional management skills.
The relevance of the study is due to the fact that the modern education system is focused not
only on imparting knowledge, but also on developing the socio-emotional abilities of students.
The results of the study serve to develop practical recommendations for the development of EI
components in primary education.
Methods
This study was conducted with the participation of 2nd grade students of a general secondary
school in Tashkent. The main goal of the study is to identify the possibilities of activating the
components of emotional intelligence through communication. The observation method was
used in this process, since it is through observation that it is possible to analyze the
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communication and emotional reactions of students in natural conditions.
As Salovey and Mayer (1990) noted, emotional intelligence is formed by developing a
person’s ability to understand and manage their own emotions and communicate effectively with
others. This idea was also supported by Goleman (1995), who emphasized the importance of
social interaction and communication in the development of EI. Vygotsky (1978) also
emphasized in his theory of cultural-historical development that children form cognitive and
social skills through communication.
Research stages:
1. Initial stage – an initial observation was conducted to assess the level of emotional awareness,
empathy and self-control of students. The general emotional environment in the classroom,
students’ communication with the teacher and classmates, and the level of stress tolerance were
analyzed. At this stage, the analysis was conducted based on the EI components recommended
by Goleman (1998).
2. Introduction of methods aimed at developing communication – the following approaches were
used to develop students’ EI components:
• Interactive exercises on expressing and understanding emotions – According to Bar-On (2006)
research, children learn to express their emotions clearly by expanding their emotional
vocabulary.
• Role-playing games to develop empathy – According to Hoffman (2000), children learn
empathy through experience, that is, it is important for them to try to understand the emotions of
others in various social situations.
• Use active listening and comprehension techniques in the communication process – Rogers
(1951) noted that people strengthen mutual understanding and emotional connection through
active listening techniques.
3. Evaluation of results – at the end of the study, changes in the levels of emotional awareness,
empathy and self-control of students were analyzed. For this, repeated observation was carried
out and the results obtained were compared with the data from the initial stage. The results of the
study were analyzed according to the Salovey and Mayer (1997) model.
During the study, students' activity in communication, emotional reactions and attitudes
towards others were assessed. Based on the data obtained, effective methods were developed to
develop the components of EI through communication.
Results
The results of the study were aimed at determining the level of development of the
components of emotional intelligence of students - emotional awareness, empathy and self-
control skills. The results of the initial stage and the experiment were compared, and the
following significant changes were observed:
1. Changes in emotional awareness and expression
At the initial stage of the study, most students had difficulty expressing their emotions clearly.
This, as noted by Vygotsky (1978), showed that this is one of the important stages in the
communicative development of a child. As a result of interactive exercises and role-playing
games, 78% of students began to express their emotions more clearly. For example, children who
previously only said “I am sad” or “I am happy” began to explain their feelings in more detail at
the end of the experiment, for example: “I am sad because my friend did not pay attention to me”
or “I am excited because I have to go on stage and speak.”
Previously observed problems:
• Students' inability to clearly explain their feelings;
• Tendency to express their feelings through actions rather than words.
Results at the end of the experiment:
• Emotional vocabulary increased;
• Students learned to correctly identify and express their feelings.
2. Development of empathy and relationships with classmates
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At the beginning of the study, 64% of students had difficulties understanding the feelings of
others. In some cases, children were indifferent to or misinterpreted each other's feelings. As a
result of role-playing games and active listening techniques, this figure increased to 82%.
Changes observed in the development of empathy:
• Students began to try to understand the feelings of their interlocutor from his words and facial
expressions;
• Children learned to respect each other's opinions in discussions;
• The level of mutual assistance and cooperation in the classroom increased.
These changes correspond to the stages of development of empathy noted by Hoffman (2000),
that is, children learn to understand the feelings of others through their own experiences.
3. Growth in self-control and the ability to manage emotions
During the initial observation phase, it was observed that some students were unable to
control themselves in stressful situations or controversial situations. For example, during the
discussion, some children were distinguished by such behaviors as speaking loudly or
responding incorrectly to the discussion.
While the initial indicator of the level of self-control was around 55%, at the end of the study
it reached 70%. As a result of group discussions and reflective conversations, students learned:
• To control their emotions;
• To express negative emotions constructively;
• To compromise instead of anger or resentment in difficult situations.
These results are consistent with the theory of emotion regulation strategies put forward by
Gross (2002). According to his research, children learn to control and balance their emotions
through experiences in the environment.
Through communication, it is possible to develop the components of emotional intelligence.
The level of EI of students increased significantly, especially positive changes were observed in
the areas of emotional awareness, empathy and self-control.
Discussion
The results of the study showed that emotional intelligence (EI) components can be developed
through communication and this process serves as one of the effective educational strategies for
young children. The results of the study are consistent with the theories of EI put forward by
Goleman (1995), Salovey and Mayer (1990), as well as Vygotsky (1978). As these scholars have
noted, children acquire emotional understanding and management skills through the process of
communication.
Analysis of the results of the study:
1. Emotional awareness - The study participants demonstrated improved results in identifying
and expressing their emotions. These findings are consistent with the theory put forward by Bar-
On (2006), namely that by expanding their emotional vocabulary, children are able to express
their emotions more clearly.
2. Empathy - At the end of the study, students developed the ability to better understand each
other's emotions and respond appropriately. Hoffman (2000) believes that empathy is learned
through experience and is formed precisely through interpersonal relationships.
3. Self-control - Students' skills in managing their emotions in stressful or controversial
situations have increased. These results are consistent with the emotion management strategies
put forward by Gross (2002).
Theoretically, this study confirms scientific views on the development of EI and shows that
communication plays an important role in the formation of these abilities among children.
Practically, these results emphasize the need to use various methods to develop EI components
through communication in the primary education system. In particular:
• Conducting interactive classes focused on emotional communication with students;
• Widely using role-playing games and group discussions;
• Incorporating active listening and comprehension techniques into the educational process;
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• Organizing psychological trainings and reflective conversations to strengthen children's
emotional abilities.
This study was conducted with 2nd grade students, and it is necessary to study how the results
of the study affect other age groups. Future research could focus on:
• Comparing the level of development of EI components in different age groups;
• Studying the impact of different forms of communication (face-to-face, online, group) on EI;
• Analyzing the factors influencing the development of EI in different cultural and social
environments.
Conclusion
The study showed that emotional intelligence components can be developed through
communication and this method should be used as an effective tool in the educational process.
Students had the opportunity to understand their own emotions, understand the emotions of
others, and develop their ability to control themselves in problematic situations during
communication. These results once again confirm the importance of communication-based
educational methods.
References:
1. Bar-On, R. (2006). The Bar-On model of emotional-social intelligence (ESI). Psicothema,
18(Suppl.), 13-25.
2. Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Bantam
Books.
3. Gross, J. J. (2002). Emotion regulation: Affective, cognitive, and social consequences.
Psychophysiology, 39(3), 281-291.
4. Hoffman, M. L. (2000). Empathy and Moral Development: Implications for Caring and Justice.
Cambridge University Press.
5. Salovey, P., & Mayer, J. D. (1990). Emotional intelligence. Imagination, Cognition, and
Personality, 9(3), 185-211.
6. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes.
Harvard University Press.
