The role of activity, emotional reactivity and emotional intelligence in assertiveness.

Aim of the study The aim of the study was to analyze how emotional intelligence and temperamental traits - emotional reactivity and activity - are related to the assertiveness. Subject or material and methods The study used the Social Competence Questionnaire (SCQ), Formal Characteristics of Behavior - Temperament Questionnaire (FCB-TQ(R)) and the Popular Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (PEIQ). Data was collected from a sample of 204 people including 115 males and 89 females. Results Results showed that assertiveness is correlated with activity, emotional reactivity, understanding emotions, acceptance of emotions and emotional control.Regression analysis showed that emotional acceptance, emotional reactivity and activity explain 36% of assertiveness in the studied sample. Discussion Highly reactive people have a low level of endurance and situations in which the individual wants to be assertive often require cognitive control - reflecting on their current needs and appropriate expression - which can be difficult for people with a higher level of this temperamental variable. People with a high level of activity undertake activities that are described as highly stimulating. Acceptance of emotions is expressed through the lack of manifestation of disagreement with experiencing negative emotions. Sometimes this is the only way to deal with social situation, in which our assertive behavior gives no expected result. Conclusions Emotional reactivity can be considered as a "interfering" factor in the acquisition and development of assertive behaviors. On the other hand, the second feature - activity is conducive to assertiveness - through resistance to strong stimuli, these people more easily endure difficult situations, enter into social relationships, thus acquiring social competences.