EFFECT OF SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS ON EMOTIONAL

INTELLIGENCE OF TEACHER-TRAINEES
(Experimental Study Done at M.Ed. Level, 2007-08)
Neha Shivhare Prof. Rama Rani Sharma
Investigator, Research Scholar Professor
Faculty of Education Faculty of Education
Dayalbagh Educational Institute Dayalbagh Educational Institute
(Deemed University) Agra, India (Deemed University) Agra, India

ABSTRACT
It is beyond doubt that spiritual science of consciousness broadens the outlook of a
person towards life and the whole creation. Since our emotions seem to be associated
with our consciousness and this is what makes human beings different from computer
systems it will not be an exaggeration to expect positive effect of interactive lectures
on science of consciousness on emotional intelligence which plays a dominant role in
our lives and also maintains mental health. The present empirical study was done with
the aim of finding the effect of science of consciousness on emotional intelligence of
teacher-trainees. In this study single group pretest-posttest pre- experimental design
was followed. The sample consisting of forty-one teacher-trainees of DEI, Agra was
selected using purposive sampling method. The pre-test post-test data was collected
using Emotional Intelligence Scale prepared by Anukool Hyde, Sanjyon Pethe and
Upinder Dhar. Statistical comparisons using the t-test revealed that lectures on science
of consciousness resulted in significant increase in emotional intelligence of teacher-
trainees.

Key Words: Science of consciousness, Emotional Intelligence, Teacher-trainees.

INTRODUCTION
Today in the world when we stop for a moment and see all around, we find suffering,
pain, disorder, war, disharmony, distrust, feeling of insecurity and conflict galore.
There is enormous selfishness present in human beings which leads to all kinds of
miseries and ills in society. We have become narrow minded and self centered to the
extent that we do not hesitate to torture others for the sake of our happiness.

In such a scenario Science of Consciousness as stated by most Revered Prof. P. S.

Satsangi Sahab (an eminent physicist and system scientist) is required not only to
“successfully mimic human brain but also mimic human mind and human spirit which
transcend it and thereby enable us to solve problems for curing all the various ills and
evils that affect the society.”

In such a scenario as stated by Daniel Goleman (1995) a blend of spiritual awareness,

mindfulness, and emotional intelligence is required because “it enhances the quality
of life – not through trappings, but by adding spice to the small moments of every
day.” In recent years there has been an explosion of scientific work on consciousness
in cognitive neuroscience, psychology, and other fields. It has become possible to
think that we are moving toward a genuine scientific understanding of conscious
experience.
 CONCEPT OF SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS
Consciousness is a characteristic of the mind generally regarded to comprise qualities
such as subjectivity, self-awareness, sentience, sapience, and the ability to perceive
the relationship between oneself and one's environment. It is a subject of much
research in philosophy of mind, psychology, neuroscience, and cognitive science. The
dictionary defines science as “the observation, identification, description,
experimental investigation and theoretical explanation of phenomena”. Among these
consciousness has clearly been identified, described, experimentally investigated and
theoretically explained. Because of this today a large number of researches are being
done on ‘Science of consciousness’ in order to develop an understanding of necessary
preconditions for consciousness in the human brain which may help us to address
important ethical questions.

Charles T. Tart (1983) in his book “States Of Consciousness” states-

“Psychology itself is entering a state of rapid transition. Once defined as a science of
mind, psychology made a little headway as a science; it lacked the elegance ,
precision of understanding, and power of doing of the physical sciences. So it was
redefined as the study of behavior. Overt behavior is easier to study than experience,
and the examination of overt behavior has given us many useful tools for predicting
and changing behavior. Once again psychology is becoming a science of or the study
of the mind. We can not shun the study of the nature of the human mind simply
because it is difficult, This has led to the development of interest in science of
consciousness.”

IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

It is beyond doubt that human society has made enormous development in almost all
the fields. Science and technology have provided us with all the luxuries and comforts
of life but only at the cost of our inner peace. We have become extremely materialistic
and are ready to go to any extent for worldly possessions. This is in spite of knowing
that every thing around us is temporary and mortal. Our selfish desires and ignorance
have led to the deterioration of society. Antisocial activities, crimes, ill practices,
corruption, murder and suicide cases are increasing in leaps and bounds.

On analyzing the present scenario we can say that all this is due to undeveloped
psychic aspect of human beings today which has led to a lack of emotional
intelligence in them. Teachers being a part of society are also negatively influenced by
all this. Hardly a day goes by without news’ stories featuring teachers’ misbehavior,
harassing of students, teachers’ indulgence in aversive acts of brutally beating their
students, unsympathetic attitude, lack of dedication towards job etc. Teachers’ flaws
are reflected back in their students and ultimately in society thus continuing the
vicious cycle. In order to snap this cycle it is utmost important to develop emotional
intelligence of teacher trainees so that they can self regulate their feelings and
contemplate broadmindedly on various issues of life. This will not only help in
improving the education system but also in reforming society.

According to Henry Adams –“A parent gives life but as a parent he gives no more, a
murderer takes life but his deeds stop there. A teacher effects eternity, he can never
tell where his influence stops.”
Developing emotional intelligence of teacher- trainees will result in developing skills
and attitudes which will allow them to develop empathy with their students who will
become leaders of tomorrow. In a context in which the teacher’s role in fostering
active citizenship is being affirmed (Teaching Council, 2006), the capacity of teachers
to be 'emotional workers' is central to their capacity to engage in development of
education. The National Curriculum Framework (2000) has also given importance to
spiritual quotient (SQ) along with intelligence quotient (IQ) and emotional quotient
(EQ) for all round development. The explosive growth in the body of knowledge
about how the brain works has captured the interest and imagination of educators and
the general public (Sylwester, 1994). Researchers are learning, at an unprecedented
rate, about how the brain processes, stores, and retrieves information. During the
1990's, brain research exploded into dozens of subdisciplines, such as multiple
intelligence. The book Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman (1995) brought to
the public’s attention the importance of our emotional lives (Jensen, 1998). Emotional
quotient comprises various related components that strengthen emotional intelligence
and give desired outcomes. These are described in the table below:

TABLE 1

Characteristics and Abilities Encompassed by Emotional Intelligence

Self-Awareness Observing yourself and recognizing a feeling as it happens

Mood Handling feelings so that they are appropriate, realizing

Management what is behind a feeling and finding ways to handle fears and
anxieties, anger and sadness.
Self-Motivation Channeling emotions in the service of a goal, emotional
self-control and delaying gratification and stifling impulses
Empathy Sensitivity to others' feelings and concerns and taking their
perspective, appreciating the difference in how people feel about
things and tuning into their verbal and nonverbal clues
Managing Handling interpersonal interaction, conflict resolution and
Relationships negotiations and managing emotions in others

Even researches have shown that intelligence quotient is not a guarantee of success in
life. Today one needs a high IQ plus a high emotional quotient to ensure development
as a WHOLE PERSON. A teacher who lacks emotional intelligence can never do
justice with teaching profession.

According to Bugental(1966) consciousness is man’s basic process and its study is

inseparable from the study of man himself and his emotions. Psychologists should be
concerned with the real life needs, problems, and motivation of fully functioning
people,not just with laboratory study of things. They should be concerned with aiding
people to understand themselves rather than with concentrating solely on the
prediction and control of behavior. (“The Psychology of Emotion” ,K. T. Strongman
pg. 123). Since Science of Consciousness helps in understanding the realities of life
and universe hence it is expected to positively affect the emotional intelligence of
teacher-trainees.

SPIRITUAL SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND EMOTIONAL

INTELLIGENCE
A recent interdisciplinary scientific report called ‘Hardwired to Connect claims that
the human brain is biologically primed in its basic structure and system to connect to
the spiritual reality and also to others. There is much to be studied on the moderating
impact of spirituality and human emotions especially in relation to challenging life
events, mastery of self, curbing harmful appetites, being worthy of trust, and lasting
happiness The personal friendship and love relations with an All-Loving, All-
Knowing Creator, like all other attachment relations such as romance, friendship and
therapist-client relationship, may facilitate new orbito-frontal development in brain
and enhance the regulation of emotions throughout the lifespan (Siegel, 1999, p. 285).

Spiritual experience implies the existence of an emotional relationship with the divine
or personal object of one’s worship and devotions called God, The process of personal
devotions, prayer, prayerful meditation and religious fervor and experience also
utilizes the same attachment elements that help create new neural pathways
responsible for emotional modulation and mastery (Siegel, 1999). Self regulation,
which is seen as fundamentally emotion regulation, is the essence of spiritual
development. An early habit of prayer and prayerful meditation accelerates the
person’s ability for emotional regulation. Emotional regulation is at the heart of
effective character development and education, self restraint, self mastery and
development of divine virtues.

The love relation with the creator infuses the world of existence with an emotional
charge. Albert Einstein refers to this emotional experience of the mystical nature as
follows: “The most beautiful and profound emotion we can experience is the
sensation of the mystical. It is the sower of all true science. He to whom this emotion
is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead. To
know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest
wisdom and the most radiant beauty, which our dull faculties can comprehend only in
their primitive form—this knowledge, this feeling, is at the center of true religion.”
(Albert Einstein, quoted in The Enlightened Mind, an Anthology of Sacred Prose,
edited by Stephen Mitchell p. 191).

As Science of consciousness involves philosophy, psychology, neuroscience,

cognitive science, physical science and spirituality, it provides a thorough
understanding of ourselves and our existence in this universe, thus broadening our
outlook towards life. Above all it helps us in developing our faith in the Supreme
Consciousness and establishing a divine relationship with him. According to Daniel
Goleman “One of the qualities of this kind of awareness is that you are less bored and
less anxious throughout the day. And more involved in what is going on, what ever
you are doing.” In the recent years there has been a growing interest in researchers to
find out more about emotional intelligence and science of consciousness .

A survey of some related studies is shown in table 2.

 TABLE 2: SURVEY OF RELATED STUDIES

S. Researcher Year Theme of the study Findings

No.
1 Victor J. Stenger 1996 Mystical Physics: Rational science is a source of
Has Science Found the genuine hope for reducing the severity of all
Path to the Ultimate? addictions, if only we
and our successors have the wisdom to use it
properly.

2 Cindy Akers, 2003 Critical Curricular Needs It is essential that subsequent research be
Texas Tech Of Emotional conducted that involves stakeholders in the
University Intelligence in development of a consensus of the age-
Agricultural Education appropriate fundamental and powerful concepts
associated with the specific constructs of
emotional intelligence.

3 John Smythies 2003 Space, Time and Consciousness may have its own space–time
Consciousness system and its own system of ontologically
independent and spatiotemporally
organized events.

4 Keyvan Geula, 2004 Emotional Intelligence An integrated education will enable the
M.S., Marriage, and Spiritual students to connect through shared emotional
Family, & Child Development experiences and to reach their full potential as
Counselor the images of their higher selves, the divine.

5 Dr. Sablack, 2004 Emotional Intelligence The benefits of developing emotional

Steve intelligence at the same time as one develops
his cognitive intelligence includes an increase
in success at work, increased mental and
physical health, and the achievement of a
higher quality in all the relationships

.
6 Mohit Saxena 2004-05 A Study of relationship of Relationship between EQ and academic
EQ and academic achievement is high and positive.
achievement of pupil
teachers
7 Darwin B. Nelson, 2006 The Emotionally A research-based, educational model of
Ph.D. Intelligent Teacher: A emotional
Gary R. Low, Transformative intelligence provides a positive and practical
Ph.D. Learning Model approach to help teachers and students stay
Kaye Nelson, healthy, reduce negative stress, increase goal
Ed.D. achievement, act responsibly, and
effectively deal with change.

8 Arnold Trehub 2006 The Science of Revonsuo offers us an admirable book, not
Consciousness: Where It only in its comprehensiveness and careful
is and Where analysis of the current field of consciousness
It Should be studies, but also for its emphasis on what can
(Review of Revonsuo’s be concurred as the core criteria of conscious
book) experience, as well as presenting a promising
strategy for future exploration.

9 John Nov,200 The Future Evolution As the transition extends to more aspects of
Stewart 6 Of Consciousness consciousness, humans would increasingly be
able to choose to adopt particular modes of
consciousness to match their different needs..
A perusal of related studies revealed that a number of researches have been done and
are presently going on Science of Consciousness and emotional intelligence yet no
research has been done to study the effect of Science of Consciousness on emotional
intelligence of teacher-trainees. Therefore this study was done to find the effect of
Science of Consciousness on emotional intelligence of teacher-trainees.

DEFINITION OF THE TERMS

Science
In the 19th century the term science, which hitherto was applied to any body of
systematic knowledge came to denote an organized inquiry into the natural and
physical universe. It is an organized body of principles supported by factual evidence,
together with those methods applied in the search for and the organization of
scientific facts and principles

Consciousness
The term consciousness is most often used by philosophers and psychologists as
meaning attention to the contents or workings of ones own mind.
Consciousness is the total awareness at any time defined as an over summative field
property of a total behavior pattern, paralleling the condition of being alive.

Science of Consciousness
Science of consciousness is the scientific and systematic study not only of human
consciousness but also of Supreme Consciousness
Scientific attitudes towards Consciousness have changed due to the recent advances in
neurophysiology and because modern physics and computer science are confronted
with the question of the nature of the observer. In many ways, the study of
consciousness is centre-stage in the discussions of modern science. On the other hand,
a considerable part of Indian thought is devoted to the question of consciousness.
Although a part of this tradition deals with philosophical issues, there are other
aspects, as in yoga and tantra, that deal with structural aspects. Books such as
Yogavasistha and Tripurarahasya claim to describe the nature of consciousness. The
same is generally true of various works on yoga, the upanisads, and even the earlier
Vedic texts.

Emotional-Intelligence
Defining the term Goleman (1995) states that “ A degree of emotional intelligence is
awareness of one’s own and other people’s feeling such as sympathy, compassion,
motivation and the ability to respond to pain and pleasure appropriately.”
According to Solovey (1990) : “Emotional Intelligence is a type of social intelligence
that involves the ability to monitor one’s own and other’s emotions to discriminate
among them and to use the information to guide one’s thinking and actions”

Teacher-Trainees
Former UK term used for a pupil teacher to be a teacher. The students getting one
year training to enter in secondary teaching profession after getting a Bachelor degree
are called as teacher -trainees .
In the present study the trainees who are admitted through pre-entrance exam
conducted by Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra and at least graduate in different
disciplines are considered as teacher-trainees.
 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The main objective of the study was to investigate the effect of science of
consciousness on emotional intelligence of teacher-trainees.

HYPOTHESIS OF THE STUDY

1. Science of consciousness effects the emotional intelligence of teacher-trainees.
2. Science of consciousness effects the emotional intelligence of post-graduate
teacher-trainees.
3. Science of consciousness effects the emotional intelligence of graduate teacher
-trainees.

VARIABLES OF THE STUDY

Independent variable: Science of Consciousness
Dependent variable: Emotional Intelligence

DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study was limited to 45 teacher trainees of DEI who were selected as the sample
for the study.

METHOD OF THE STUDY

This research was based on the pre-experimental method. This study was a single
group pre-test, post- test pre-experimental design method.

PROCEDURE OF THE STUDY

Phase 1: Pre-test
Emotional intelligence of teacher trainees was tested using Emotional Intelligence
Scale.

Phase 2: Experimental phase

Conduction of a series of 15 lectures (each lecture of 45 minutes
duration) on Science of Consciousness. The topics of the lectures delivered are
mentioned in table 3.

TABLE 3: LECTURES DELIVERED

Lecture No. Topics

1 Meaning and importance of Science of Consciousness
2 Explanation of various concepts of physics related to
Science of Consciousness
3 Concept of Quantum Physics
4 Big Bang Theory
5 Structure of the whole creation according to saints theory and
scientific theories
6 Similarities between scientific and saints theories.
7 Relationship between human consciousness and Supreme
Consciousness.
 Table 3 continued….
8 Concept of soul, mind and body.
9 Concept of microcosm and macrocosm.
10 Concept of superman.
11 Awakening of consciousness for all round development.
12 Theory of meditation.
13 Meditation Practices.
14 Perception and functioning of the mind.
15 Living a happy life.

These lectures were prepared and delivered by the researcher under the guidance of
supervisor. The content of lectures was collected compiled from authentic and reliable
sources (mentioned in the reference).

Phase 3: Post-test
Emotional intelligence of teacher trainees was re-tested using Emotional Intelligence
Scale.

Phase 4: Analysis and conclusion

Results of the pre-test and post-test were analyzed and compared in order to draw the
final conclusion.

SAMPLE OF THE STUDY

A sample of 45 teacher trainees (students of B.Ed. course) of DEI were purposively
selected for the present experimental study.

TOOL
For measuring emotional intelligence, Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) prepared by
Anukool Hyde, Sanjyon Pethe and Upinder Dhar was used. This tool was selected as
it is highly reliable with reliability co-efficient of 0.88 and validity of 0.93.

STATISTICAL TECHNIQUE
The difference in the pre-test and post-test scores were calculated to yield the
increments in scores of the students. The mean increment scores, standard deviations
and critical ratios of the pre-test and post-test were calculated. The t-test was used to
find the differences in the achievements of the pre-test and post-test.
.
FINDINGS
The results obtained for the entire group as well as specific sub groups namely,
graduate and post-graduate teacher-trainees are shown in table 4:

TABLE 4
 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DIFFERENCE IN PRE-TEST AND POST-TEST
SCORES OF TEACHER-TRAINEES.

Group Test N Mean S.D. Correlation t-Value Significance

coefficient of Difference
Whole Pre- 41 135 12.42
Group test Significant
0.78 4.859 P<.01
41 141.22 12.22
Post-
test
Post- Pre- 19 134.21 14.51 Significant
Graduate test P<.01
teacher- 0.76 3.41
trainees Post-
test 19 142.21 13.3898
Graduate Pre- 22 135.68 10.61 Significant
teacher- test P<.01
trainees 0.84 3.41

Post- 22 140.36 11.37

test

From the table 4 it can be seen that lectures on science of consciousness have
significantly increased the emotional intelligence of teacher-trainees. Science of
consciousness increased the emotional intelligence of both the sub groups, namely,
post-graduate and graduate teacher-trainees.

CONCLUSION
The findings of the study have practical implications for the design of educational and
training interventions geared toward enhanced emotional intelligence of students. It
reflects the significance of including science of consciousness in curriculum for
improving emotional intelligence which plays a pivotal role in every aspect of life.
Spiritual science of consciousness should be taught not only to teacher –trainees but
also to the students at various levels in order to develop a better understanding of
worldly matters and metaphysical issues in them.
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