Altruism, Gender, and Personality: Understanding the Role of Emotional Intelligence in College Students’ Helping Behaviors

This study examines the intricate relationship among altruism, gender, personality, and emotional intelligence (EI) in forecasting college students' helping behaviours. Altruism, characterised by selfless concern for the welfare of others, is shaped by a range of psychological and socio-demographic factors. Emotional intelligence, defined as the capacity to recognise, comprehend, and manage emotions, has been recognised as a significant factor influencing helping behaviours; however, its association with gender and personality is inadequately examined in current literature. This paper seeks to investigate the impact of emotional intelligence on helping behaviours and to determine if gender and personality traits serve as moderating factors in this relationship among college students. A cross-sectional design was utilised, with data gathered via surveys distributed to a sample of undergraduate students from diverse disciplines. The surveys evaluated emotional intelligence via the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue), altruistic inclinations through the Altruism Scale, personality characteristics using the Big Five Personality Inventory, and gender was recorded as a demographic variable. Statistical analyses, encompassing correlation and regression models, were performed to ascertain the relationships among these variables. The results showed important findings: higher emotional intelligence was linked to more altruistic behaviour, which means that students with higher EI are more likely to help others. Moreover, gender disparities were observed, as female students exhibited elevated emotional intelligence and altruistic tendencies in comparison to their male peers. Personality traits were also very important; students who were more agreeable and open to new experiences were more likely to help others. Nonetheless, emotional intelligence emerged as a more robust predictor of altruism compared to personality traits, indicating that EI may serve as a more direct catalyst for helping behaviour than personality alone. This study enhances the comprehension of altruism among college students by incorporating emotional intelligence as a significant determinant of helping behaviours, alongside gender and personality. It emphasises the significance of cultivating emotional intelligence within educational environments, proposing that initiatives designed to improve EI may encourage prosocial behaviours among students.