The relationship between the five-factor Personality traits and the Emotional intelligence of male and female university students

The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between personality traits and emotional intelligence of university students. Research method was correlation، and statistical population included Miane university students in the school year 2011-12، among them 380 persons from different majors (226 female students and 154 male students) were selected by cluster random sampling method. The assessment tools included the 60-short form question of personality traits of NEO (NEO PI-R،1992) Questionnaire and Bar-on EQ test (1997) which consisted of 90 item. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient، stepwise regression analysis. Results showed significant positive relationship between extraversion، openness to experience، agreeableness and conscientiousness with emotional intelligence (P>0. 01)، But there was a significant negative relationship between neuroticism and emotional intelligence (P>0. 01). Also there were not significant different between males and females EQ (P>0. 05). Stepwise regression analysis showed that there were personality traits can significantly predict the emotional intelligence (P>0. 01).