Comment by Shorel

It seems to me that idea is rooted in social consensus.

Someone expresses an emotion but doesn't know how to react to it, their inner group all have an opinion about it, and the consensus is selected as the "appropiate" reaction to it. The individuals who react this way will claim this consensus is the same as emotional intelligence.

Just as there are also people who react in one way, and completely disregard any external opinion about it. They simply have firm opinions and don't need the consensus.

I will not comment on who can belong to each group, that's an exercise for the reader.