Emotional Intelligence and Gen Z: Bridging the Empathy Gap

By- Dr Dhamodharan M

Assistant Professor, & Ms Nagasamudram Pallavi

Student,  Department of Psychology

SRM University AP

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to recognize, assess, and manage emotions. It enables the intellectual and intellectual growth, arouses the cognitive processing and improves the emotional well-being. In the context of interpersonal relationship, EQ refers to the capacity of an individual to be cognizant of his/her own emotions and interpret them and manage them at the same time, being sensitive to the emotional condition of a partner. It is not just the ability to remain calm or participate in successful verbal communication, but it also includes being attentive to self-awareness, promoting the emotional experience of the partner and approaching affective episodes with purposefulness and care. When couple develop their EQ together, they are likely to exchange feelings, gain more trust, and become emotionally attached, especially in times of need. In that regard, EI can be regarded as a useful practice that reduces stress and strengthens relationship processes. EI is involved in romantic and spiritual attachments through controlling conflict, creating comprehension, and creating stability. 

Gen Z refers to people born after 1997 and before 2012, who have their priorities different due to the global digital exposure. The extreme use of technology by this generation has been linked to low levels of emotional intelligence. Empirical evidence shows that there is a generational difference: Gen Z participants score lower on EI scales and indicated greater burnout rates compared to other groups. They show lack of skill in vital affective areas, such as the ability to recognize and name emotional states, to recognize patterns, to make decisions, to be motivated in accordance with internal values, to see opportunities, to be able to feel empathy and the sense of belonging to a larger cause. 

It has been found that Gen Z has poor social-emotional competencies, which require specific interventions. Having healthy relationships does not mean that there is no conflict, but it is the ability to deal with it. EI is capable of interfering with the maladaptive patterns that create a sense of isolation and make couples to be involved in productive therapeutic processes. When couples’ express emotions, show empathy, and control their feelings, they overcome challenges in a better way. EI facilitates building positive relationships and sustaining emotional relationships. Higher EI levels among individuals help them to cope with relational problems better resulting in better communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution.

The media of social networks allows genuine expression of emotions to a significant number of people, and without being afraid of dismissal. Despite this, the internal processes are less strong in the workplace relationship within this group. Researchers Lucy Foulkes and Jack Andrews of Oxford came up with the term prevalence inflation, in which minor symptoms are defined as mental health disorders. This tendency makes it harder to control the emotional state; mental health and self-diagnosis in mass media can undermine the Gen Z group. Individuals who view themselves as stagnant might not be able to deal with self-care, and boundary setting. Gen Z workers are therefore harder to train, due to the lack of interpersonal skills, which affects working and personal relations. Following practices should be keep in their relationships.

1. Take a moment, and ask: Before answer to the partner, breathe in and question the immediate sensory material. Emotions labelling encourages conscious responses.Listen: When the partner is talking, do not give advice. Listening, synthesizing, and clarifying questions is important.

2. Affirm and check: Partners usually long to be listened to, but not to be told what to do. An example of empathetic validation that does not preclude suggestions of solutions too fast is a short statement like, that sounds difficult. The main component of successful interpersonal exchange is the focus on understanding as opposed to argumentation; when one of the partners expresses an issue, one should wait to listen and show the real and genuine interest in the issue rather than to comment and contradict it. Through reflection, questioning and paraphrasing the interlocutor, the listener will be showing the real sense of understanding.

3. The validation of the content before solution-oriented dialogue: partner shouldtry to validate the content of the conversation, instead of finding a solution to a particular problem. An answer like, that sounds especially hard, I would also feel overwhelmed, can do much better than a response that involves an immediate prescription of a problem-solver.

4. Break for some time:Increased affective arousal can be improved by instituting a short break, such as a ten-minute time out in their case. This strategic disengagement will enable both sides to regain intellectual sanity and emotional stability thus standing on the ground to continue negotiation in a more composed manner.

5. Emotional Coaching:The protocols of emotion coaching encourage the exercise to start with a low-stress interval, and not to take conflict moments. Knowingly, the partners will take turns sharing a recent affective experience and the other partner will respond with a reflective comment such as, It seems that you felt something in that situation. This serves as an affirmation of the emotions of the partner; in case a direct counterpart appears to be unsuitable, the discusser can ask more questions in order to reach an affectively understandable position. The need to replace problem-solving with affective presence is often quite sufficient since emotional availability is often the most effective means of communication. The practice is further strengthened by role reversal.

6. Understanding the partner’s love language:Awareness about which communicate-love language of the partner is dominating in the relationship such as verbal affirmation, acts of service, gift-giving, quality time, or physical touch can help massively to reduce the process of affective exchange. Theoretical models assume that precise awareness of these preferences promotes more conciliatory relational processes.

Despite inconsistent correlations between overall emotional intelligence and relationship satisfaction in preliminary studies, research has shown a non-linear stage-specific relationship. Emotional competencies gain increasing cruciality as relations move through developmental phases and face unresolved difficulties.Constant investment and conscious exercise of emotional intelligence are the backbone of good communication, increased trust in each other, and more effective emotional relationships. This kind of development will create strong relationships that can endure the unavoidable ups and downs of life. Emotional intelligence in the relational practice has a twofold prospect of lifelong relationships and deep individual growth to Generation Z, thus, forming a holistic well-being.