The presented research aimed to establish the dimensionality and factorial structure of measured variables: nonverbal and verbal intelligence, ability emotional intelligence and trait emotional intelligence in order to answer the question of whether EI is an ability or a trait. The research was conducted on 500 participants, ranging from 15 to 65 years of age. The sample was divided into three age groups: youth (15-25 years), middle-age (26-45 years), and elderly (46-65 years). The results indicated that in all three age groups the first extracted factor was a cognitive factor, saturated with an ability EI measure. This was confirmed by coefficients of congruence between all three age groups. In the youth and middle-age group, an additional two factors were extracted. The second factor represented trait EI and the third factor represented ability EI. The coefficient of congruence indicated that the third factor in youth and middle age isn’t congruent. In the elderly group, apart from affirmed first factor representing intelligence, one additional factor was extracted. The second factor in the elderly group represented trait EI and ability EI, combined. The most important result of this research is a significant correlation between ability EI and verbal intelligence (crystallized IQ) and a difference in emotional processing depending on the age group. All these findings lead us to conclude that EI is probably one of the cognitive abilities, not a trait.

emotional intelligence, intelligence, ability, traits