Chee, Allen Jie Ein
(2026)
Bridging words and emotions: a study of emotional intelligence and emotion vocabulary knowledge in ESL learning contexts.
PhD thesis, University of Nottingham Malaysia.
Abstract
Emotions, emotional intelligence (EI), and emotion vocabulary are complex, multifaceted constructs that play a crucial role in shaping teaching, learning, and classroom interactions. Within the framework of Positive Psychology, these concepts have gained traction in education, psychology, and linguistics (see Dewaele et al., 2019; Li & Xu, 2019; Shao et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2021). While EI is extensively studied in relation to teacher wellbeing, student engagement, and pedagogical effectiveness (Corcoran & O’Flaherty, 2022; Jennings & Greenberg, 2009; Schonert-Reichl et al., 2017), an often-overlooked yet vital aspect of emotional intelligence is emotion vocabulary – the ability to recognise, articulate, and regulate emotions through language (Barrett, 2017a). Emotion vocabulary is more than a linguistic resource; it underpins emotional awareness, regulation, and expression, making it indispensable for fostering positive teacher-student relationships and emotionally supportive learning environments (Aldrup et al., 2024; Bazhydai et al., 2019; Gallingane & Han, 2015)
Despite its significance, research examining the relationship between EI and emotion vocabulary in education remains scarce. Existing studies predominantly focus on EI's relationship with burnout, teaching effectiveness, and student outcomes (Isabel et al., 2021; Mérida-López & Extremera, 2017; Molero et al., 2019; Valente et al., 2020), with little emphasis on how teachers' linguistic capacity for expressing emotions influence their EI and pedagogical practices. Furthermore, conventional vocabulary assessments largely neglect emotion-specific lexicons (Nation & Beglar, 2007; Webb et al., 2017), limiting our understanding of how teachers acquire and use emotion vocabulary in classroom contexts. Moreover, teachers’ ability to recognise, articulate, and regulate emotions significantly impacts their professional practice, classroom management, and students’ outcomes (Aldrup et al., 2024; Chen & Guo, 2020; Dewaele, Gkonou, et al., 2018; Frenzel et al., 2021; Pugh, 2008; Richards, 2020; Song, 2018; Vince, 2016). Therefore, this thesis aims to bridge these research gaps by investigating the relationship between teachers’ EI and their emotion vocabulary knowledge, with a focus on English as a Second Language (ESL) contexts.
Chapter 2 systematically reviewed existing literature on teachers’ EI and its impact on student outcomes. While meta-analyses highlight the role of EI in mitigating burnout and enhancing teacher efficacy and social-emotional competence (Isabel et al., 2021; Lozano-Peña et al., 2021; Mérida-López & Extremera, 2017; Molero et al., 2019; Valente et al., 2020), few studies explore its relationship with students’ outcomes. Findings from this chapter revealed significant methodological disparities, particularly in measuring EI and operationalising student outcomes, underscoring the need for research that specifically examines EI's role in fostering emotion vocabulary and language learning. Findings of this review also highlighted the importance of teachers' EI in fostering a positive learning environment, improving student engagement, and ultimately enhancing academic outcomes.
Building on these findings, Chapter 3 explored the linguistic gap through the lens of the affective domain, focusing on the relationship between EI and emotion vocabulary. In order to properly recognise, understand and express emotions (one of the core tenets of EI), awareness and knowledge of emotion words needs to be acquired first to accurately convey specific and nuanced emotions (Hoemann et al., 2019). Using the TEIQue-SF (Petrides, 2009) and label generation task (Bazhydai et al., 2019; Mavrou, 2021), this pilot study in a Malaysian context with 46 foundation students demonstrated a positive correlation between all facets of trait EI and emotion vocabulary. However, the label generation task produced low response variability and inadequate differentiation across language backgrounds, indicating the need for more refined, context-sensitive tools.
Chapter 4 addressed these methodological gaps by developing and validating a novel assessment tool, the Productive Emotion Vocabulary Size Test (PEVST). This tool evaluates emotion vocabulary through situated, contextualised vignettes, addressing inconsistencies in scoring methods and the lack of contextual nuance in existing measures (Barrett, 2017b; Bazhydai et al., 2019; Day et al., 2014; Goetze, 2023b; Grosse et al., 2021; Streubel et al., 2020). Unlike existing measures, the PEVST also incorporates lexical characteristics such as word frequency, a critical factor in language learning (Chen & Truscott, 2010; Schmitt & Schmitt, 2014, 2020; Wilkens et al., 2014). This study, involving 156 adult participants, revealed that word frequency, language proficiency, and emotionality significantly impact emotion vocabulary production. This study offered a novel approach to refining emotion vocabulary assessment, which does not only improve on the validity of measurement tools within emotion vocabulary research, but also revealed valuable insights into the cognitive mechanisms underlying emotion processing. Moreover, the implications of this study extend to informing targeted pedagogical strategies and curriculum development, as well as advancing theoretical understanding of the complex interplay between language and emotion.
Chapter 5 examined the relationship between teachers’ EI and emotion vocabulary using both the PEVST and label generation task with a sample of 101 teachers. As language of emotions shapes how individuals perceive and process their emotional experiences (Barrett, 2017a, 2017b), without a solid understanding of emotional vocabulary, teachers may find it difficult to even begin teaching these concepts or comprehending the emotional dynamics of the classroom; let alone recognise, understand, manage, and express emotions effectively. The PEVST shows a strong relationship between emotion vocabulary and factors such as word frequency, language proficiency, and emotionality, while the label generation task fails to establish such links. These findings not only validate the effectiveness of the PEVST but also highlight its potential as a valuable tool for ESL/EFL contexts, offering educators deeper insights into learners' emotion vocabulary use and informing more targeted, context-sensitive language instruction.
This thesis contributed methodologically and empirically to the fields of applied linguistics, education, and psychology by emphasising the role of emotion vocabulary as a linguistic and cognitive component of EI. Methodologically, in this thesis, a novel emotion vocabulary measure was developed to capture the breadth and depth of emotion vocabulary through the use of vignettes. Empirical findings in this thesis indicate that word frequency, language proficiency and emotionality contribute towards emotion vocabulary production, underscoring the closely intertwined relationship between language and emotion. The findings have the potential to inform teacher training programs, advocating for greater emphasis on emotion vocabulary training to equip teachers with the requisite knowledge and skills to meet the growing demands of curriculums and global frameworks. By highlighting the intricate connection between language and emotion, this thesis underscores the importance of emotionally aware pedagogy, offering both theoretical advancements and practical applications for improving teaching and learning outcomes.
Actions (Archive Staff Only)
 |
Edit View |
Tools
Tools
![[thumbnail of CLEAN_Allen_Chee_Jie_Ein_Bridging Words and Emotions_A Study of Emotional Intelligence and Emotion Vocabulary Knowledge in ESL Learning Contexts.pdf]](https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png "CLEAN_Allen_Chee_Jie_Ein_Bridging Words and Emotions_A Study of Emotional Intelligence and Emotion Vocabulary Knowledge in ESL Learning Contexts.pdf")