In general terms, Emotional Intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions – your own and those of other people. Emotional Intelligence is a relatively new area of study. Its earliest roots can be traced back to Darwin’s work on the importance of emotional expression for survival. In the 1900s, the issue of intelligence was discussed mainly in terms of cognitive aspects such as memory and problem-solving, although several influential researchers had begun to recognize the importance of non-cognitive aspects.