title: Nonverbal signals speak up: association between perceptual nonverbal dominance and emotional intelligence.
abstract: Emotional communication uses verbal and nonverbal means. In case of conflicting signals, nonverbal information is assumed to have a stronger impact. It is unclear, however, whether perceptual nonverbal dominance varies between individuals and whether it is linked to emotional intelligence. Using audiovisual stimulus material comprising verbal and nonverbal emotional cues that were varied independently, perceptual nonverbal dominance profiles and their relations to emotional intelligence were examined. Nonverbal dominance was found in every participant, ranging from 55 to 100%. Moreover, emotional intelligence, particularly the ability to understand emotions, correlated positively with nonverbal dominance. Furthermore, higher overall emotional intelligence as well as a higher ability to understand emotions were linked to smaller reaction time differences between emotionally incongruent and congruent stimuli. The association between perceptual nonverbal dominance and emotional intelligence, and more specifically the ability to understand emotions, might reflect an adaptive process driven by the experience of higher authenticity in nonverbal cues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. HeikeJacob@gmx.de
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kreifelts
authors.forename: Carolin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brück
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nizielski
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schütz
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wildgruber
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003463:Cues; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009633:Nonverbal Communication / Q000523:psychology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012938:Social Perception