Abstract

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to monitor one's own and others' emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide thinking and action. Research suggests that EI can influence emotions and sport performance (Lane et al, 2010). This study extended research by examining the influence of EI on emotions, emotion regulation strategies, and performance. After competing in the British Indoor Rowing Championship, rowers (n = 104: male = 67, female n = 33, 4 undisclosed), aged between 16 and 77 (M = 39 years; SD = 15) were asked to complete a measure of EI (Lane et al, 2009), the intensity and time at which a range of emotions occurred and whether they wanted to increase, maintain, or decrease experienced emotions. Results suggested that there was no association between EI and rowing performance. EI was associated with greater excitement (r =0.22, p =0.04), happiness (r =0.26, p =0.01) and pride (r =0.24, p =0.02). Although there was no association between EI and emotions postrace, there was an association between EI and positive emotions prior to racing (r =0.20, p =0.05). To examine whether those high in EI (top 25% of scores) regulated (ie, increased, maintained, or decreased) positive and negative emotions differently from those low in EI (bottom 25% of scores) a 3-way loglinear analysis was conducted. This produced a final model that retained an emotion type by regulation interaction. The likelihood ratio of this model was (χ²(6) = 10.90, p =0.09. The emotion type x regulation interaction was significant, χ²(2) = 22.95, p =0.001. Rowers were 17% more likely to increase positively, compared to negatively toned emotions; 20% more likely to maintain positively compared to negatively toned emotions; and 48% more likely to decrease negatively compared to positively toned emotions. EI may be associated with positively toned emotions precompetition, but this may not necessarily translate to enhanced performance in discrete events.