The process of selecting a vocational path is critical for adolescents and young adults, as it shapes future academic, career, and personal fulfillment. Vocational interests, conceptualized as stable preferences for specific activities and work environments (Holland, 1997, p. 11), play a pivotal role in this decision-making process. They not only predict educational and occupational choices but are also closely linked to job satisfaction and long-term performance outcomes​ (Rounds & Su, 2014).

Research underscores the importance of aligning interests with environmental demands, as congruence between the two enhances persistence, satisfaction, and success​ (Nye, Su, Rounds, & Drasgow, 2012). Furthermore, vocational interests contribute to life outcomes, influencing factors such as employability, income, and well-being​ (Harris & Rottinghaus, 2017).

While cognitive abilities have long been established as predictors of career succes (Pässler,  Beinicke, & Hell, 2015; Reeve & Heggestad, 2004) emotional intelligence (EI) has emerged as a complementary construct, offering insights into how individuals navigate social environments and adapt to occupational challenges​ (Schermer,  Petrides, & Vernon, 2016; Antoniou, Kaprara, & Drosos, 2016).  

Most of the studies have focused most on the relation between each type of intelligence and interests, rarely trying to add both constructs in explaining its influence on vocational interests (Bergner, 2020; Dulewicz & Higgs,2000). Moreover, many studies uses interests as independent variable, alonside with  different cognitive or non-cognitive traits or abilities to explain performance, academic achievement, motivation, career choice, etc.

This study explores the interplay between cognitive abilities, emotional intelligence, and vocational interests, with a particular focus on the incremental effects of IE. By examining these interdependencies, the research aims to provide a nuanced understanding of vocational choice mechanisms, advancing both theoretical frameworks and practical applications in vocational psychology and career counseling.

Research has consistently shown that IQ moderately correlates with vocational interests, influencing their development (Pässler, Beinicke, & Hell, 2015) . For example, individuals with higher cognitive abilities often gravitate toward investigative and analytical activities, while those with mechanical or spatial aptitudes may exhibit a preference for realistic or practical tasks (Vock, Köller, & Nagy, 2013) . However, not all interests are equally shaped by IQ; conventional interests, which involve structured or routine tasks, frequently show weak or no correlation with cognitive abilities (Ackerman & Heggestad, 1997).

The co-development of IQ and interests is deeply rooted in the concept of "trait complexes," which integrate cognitive abilities, personality, and vocational preferences. These complexes suggest that individuals are drawn to environments and activities that align with their abilities, reinforcing their interests through positive feedback and sustained engagement (Vock, Köller, & Nagy, 2013).

At the same time, meta-analytic studies demonstrate that EI contributes uniquely to predicting career success, even when controlling for cognitive intelligence and personality traits, such as those measured by the Five-Factor Model (FFM). This finding underscores the incremental validity of EI, suggesting that beyond intellectual aptitude, an individual’s ability to perceive, regulate, and use emotions plays a crucial role in career-related outcomes (Pässler, Beinicke, & Hell, 2015).

Non-cognitive factors, such as emotional intelligence and self-regulation, add another layer to this dynamic. These attributes often compensate for lower IQ in specific contexts, enabling individuals to navigate complex social environments or emotionally demanding careers (Bergner, S.,2020). The interplay between intellectual and emotional domains highlights the multifaceted nature of vocational development, where cognitive strengths are complemented by emotional adaptability and resilience.

Understanding this intricate dynamic underscores the importance of addressing both cognitive and emotional dimensions in vocational guidance and career planning, ultimately enabling individuals to align their abilities and interests with fulfilling and successful life paths.

This study employs a quantitative research design to examine the incremental effect of EI on the development of vocational interests beyond cognitive abilities. The research aims to explore the following questions: 1. Does EI contribute incremental predictive validity to vocational interest preferences, independent of IQ scores? 2. Which EI components are the strongest predictors of various vocational interests? 3. Are there gender differences in the predictive power of the model? Hypotheses The study is guided by the following hypotheses: • H1: Emotional intelligence adds incremental validity to the prediction of vocational interests beyond cognitive abilities. • H1.1: The incremental effect of EI will be more pronounced when the positive impres-sion index is stable or positive. • H2: The predictive power of independent variables (IQ and EI components) will vary by gender. Participants and Sampling The sample consists of 152 participants (69 females and 83 males), aged 16–20 years, recrui-ted from a career counseling center in Bucharest, Romania between 2017 and 2025. The participants underwent vocational assessment as part of their career guidance services and completed the assessments on a dedicated online platform under the supervision of trained counselors. Inclusion criteria: • Participants must be within the 16–20-year-old range, ensuring alignment with the period when adolescents make critical academic and career decisions. • Participants must have completed both intelligence and emotional intelligence asses-sments alongside vocational interest surveys. Dependent Variable: Vocational Interests • Instrument: The Jackson Vocational Interest Survey (JVIS) • Measured Constructs: The JVIS assesses 34 specific interest scales aggregated into 10 broad occupational themes: Expressive, Logical, Inquiring, Assertive, Socialized, Helping, Conventional, Enterprising, and Communicative. Independent Variables 1. Cognitive Abilities (IQ) o Instrument: Intelligence Structure Test (IST) o Measured Constructs: general and specific cognitive abilities (verbal, numerical, and spatial reasoning). 2. Emotional Intelligence (EI) o Instrument: Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) o Measured Constructs: Includes five main components: Intrapersonal skills, Interpersonal skills, Adaptability, Stress Management, General Mood 3. Moderator Variables o Positive/Negative Impression Index o Gender Quantitative data analysis was made by using a variety of statistical methods, such as: • descriptive statistics, frequencies • Pearson’s correlation coefficients to explore preliminary relationships between IQ, EI, and vocational interests • hierarchical multiple regression for incremental validity testing • moderation analysis to test whether the positive impression index alters the strength of the relationship between EI and vocational interests.

The expected outcomes of this study can be framed in terms of the incremental validity of emotional intelligence (EI) over cognitive abilities (IQ) in predicting vocational interests, the role of specific EI components, and potential gender differences in these relationships. It is expected that EI will contribute additional explanatory power beyond IQ in predicting vocational interests. This would confirm that career interests are not solely driven by cognitive ability but also by emotional and social factors, which influence preferences for different occupational themes. Certain EI components are expected to predict specific vocational interest themes. For instance: interpersonal and social skills may strongly predict interests in social, enterprising, or helping professions (e.g., counseling, education, leadership), while adaptability and stress management may be linked to high-pressure careers (e.g., entrepreneurship, management). If H1.1 holds true, the incremental effect of EI on vocational interests will be stronger when the positive impression index is stable or positive, suggesting that self-perception biases in EI assessment could influence the strength of EI’s predictive power. Also, it is expected that the relationship between EI and vocational interests will differ by gender. For example: Females might show a stronger correlation between interperso-nal/empathy-related EI components and interests in social and helping professions. Males might exhibit a stronger relationship between stress management, adaptability, and logical interests (e.g., technical or leadership roles). The results will shed light on the variables that could influence vocationa interest in adolescence, as young students begin to form ideas about their future careers, their ability to understand and manage emotions plays a crucial role in shaping their aspirations. Encouraging the development of emotional intelligence at an early stage—through structured school programs and counseling—can provide students with the tools they need to make confident career choices later in life.

1.Antoniou, A., Kaprara, N., & Drosos, N. (2016). The Relationship between Trait Emotional Intelligence and Vocational Interests of Greek 10th and 11th Grade Stu-dents. Psychology, 07, 523-532. https://doi.org/10.4236/PSYCH.2016.74053. 2.Bergner, S. (2020). Being Smart Is Not Enough: Personality Traits and Vocational In-terests Incrementally Predict Intention, Status and Success of Leaders and Entrepre-neurs Beyond Cognitive Ability. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00204. 3.Berings, D., Fruyt, F., & Bouwen, R. (2004). Work values and personality traits as predictors of enterprising and social vocational interests. Personality and Individual Differences, 36, 349-364. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(03)00101-6. 4.Butnaru, S. (2019). Relationships Between Emotional Intelligence And Vocational Orientation In Preadolescence: Gender Differences. https://doi.org/10.15405/EPSBS.2019.08.03.68. 5.Côté, S., & Miners, C. T. H. (2006). Emotional Intelligence, Cognitive Intelligence, and Job Performance. Administrative Science Quarterly, 51(1), 1-28. https://doi.org/10.2189/asqu.51.1.1. 6.Dulewicz, V., & Higgs, M. (2000). Emotional intelligence – A review and evaluation study. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 15, 341-372. https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940010330993. 7.Pässler, K., Beinicke, A., & Hell, B. (2015). Interests and intelligence: A meta-analysis. Intelligence, 50, 30-51. 8.Reeve, C. L., & Heggestad, E. D. (2004). Differential relations between general cog-nitive ability and interest-vocation fit. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 77(3), 385–402. https://doi.org/10.1348/0963179041752673. 9.Schermer, J., Petrides, K., & Vernon, P. (2016). Genetic and environmental correla-tions between Trait Emotional Intelligence and vocational interest factors. Personality and Individual Differences, 101, 5-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PAID.2016.05.288. 10.Schroeder, D., Haier, R., & Tang, C. (2012). Regional gray matter correlates of vo-cational interests. BMC Research Notes, 5. https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-5-242. 11.Vock, M., Köller, O., & Nagy, G. (2013). Vocational interests of intellectually gifted and highly achieving young adults. The British Journal of Educational Psychology, 83 Pt 2, 305-28. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8279.2011.02063.x.