Final answer:
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's own emotions and the emotions of others, often considered crucial for personal and professional success. Therefore, the correct option is a) Emotional intelligence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ability to perceive and express emotion, understand and reason with emotion, and regulate one's own emotions defines emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence involves several key abilities: recognizing one's own emotions and those of others, utilizing emotions to facilitate thinking, understanding emotional variations, and managing emotions effectively.
In the context of Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, emotional intelligence corresponds to a combination of interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence. This concept was further popularized by Daniel Goleman, who emphasized that emotional intelligence could be a stronger predictor of success than traditional measures of cognitive intelligence.