Should You Take an Emotional Intelligence Test?
For several decades, there has been a lot of emphasis on certain aspects of intelligence, including math skills, logical reasoning, verbal skills, spatial skills, understanding analogies, etc. Researchers were perplexed that while IQ could help predict academic performance and professional and personal success, something was missing in the equation. Some individuals with incredible IQ scores were not doing too well in life. In fact, one could say they were wasting their potential by communicating, thinking, and behaving in a manner that lowered their ability to succeed.
One of the major missing elements in the success equation is emotional intelligence. The concept of emotional intelligence gained popularity through Daniel Goleman's groundbreaking book based on years of research by multiple scientists, including John Meyer, Peter Salovey, Robert Sternberg, Jack Block, and Howard Gardner, to name a few. Individuals with high emotional intelligence are generally more successful than those with lower – even if they have an average score on classical IQ.
Ideally, every individual should take an emotional intelligence test as they give an insight into your ability to control, evaluate, and perceive emotions. The results can also help you determine how well you can comprehend, interpret, and respond to other people's emotions. Moreover, you can also use the scores to identify which areas you need to work on to improve your emotional intelligence.
In this article, we will take a closer look at emotional intelligence tests, why you should take them, and ways to improve your emotional intelligence.
Here is everything you need to know.
The Premise: What Is an Emotional Intelligence Test?
An emotional intelligence test is an assessment used to measure degrees of emotional intelligence. These tests typically come under one of two categories: self-reports tests or ability tests.
Self-report tests are the ones used most commonly as they are extremely easy to administer and evaluate. Respondents have to respond to a set of statements or questions on these tests by rating their own behaviors and actions. For instance, on a statement like "I tend to avoid or postpone discussing sensitive topics," respondents might say the statement as completely true, mostly true, somewhat true or false, mostly false, or completely false.
On the other hand, ability tests are where people react to situations. Their skills are then analyzed based on the responses they provide. These tests usually require test-takers to indicate their abilities, which are then rated by a third party.
Should You Take an Emotional Intelligence Test?
Taking an emotional intelligence test to measure your EQ will provide insights into your strengths and weaknesses, what motivates you, and how well you manage conflict. All of these areas are not just essential to your personal life but also help you become strong leaders.
In simple words, taking an emotional intelligence test will increase your level of self-awareness. Self-awareness is the ability to recognize your strengths, weaknesses, values, motivations, goals, emotions, and emotional triggers and understand how they impact your behaviors and thoughts.
If you are feeling uninspired, annoyed, or stressed, it is vital to check in with yourself and understand why you might be feeling this way. When you can label the emotion and understand the reason behind it, you are in a much better position to address the issue through appropriate action.
According to research conducted by Tasha Eurich, an organizational psychologist, 95 percent of people think they are self-aware. However, the truth is that only 10 to 15 percent of people are truly self-aware. Working with individuals who are not self-aware can reduce a team's success by hand and, as per the research linked above, lead to higher stress and lower motivation levels.
Remember that to bring out the best in others, you need to bring out the best in yourself. This is where self-awareness, and emotional intelligence tests, come into play.
Which Emotional Intelligence Test Should You Take?
There are several emotional intelligence tests available today. Some of these tests are administered by mental health professionals, such as the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test. On the other hand, some tests, such as the one by Verywell Mind, are self-administered, and you can take them for free.
Some of the emotional intelligence tests you can take to measure your EQ include:
Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT)
Emotional and Social Competence Inventory (ESCI)
Verywell Minds EQ Test
Harvard Business Review Test
EQ Test by University of California, Berkeley
Here are some more details on these tests.
1. Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT)
The Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) is an ability-based emotional intelligence test that evaluates the four elements of Mayer and Salovey's Emotional Intelligence model. Each branch reflects specific skills, i.e., perceiving emotions, using emotions to guide thought, understanding emotions, and managing emotions.
People taking the test perform eight different tasks to evaluate their ability to identify, perceive, understand, and control emotions.
2. Emotional and Social Competence Inventory (ESCI)
The Emotional and Social Competence Inventory (ESCI) is based on the Self-Assessment Questionnaire. It involves having individuals who know the person offer ratings of that individual's abilities in various emotional competencies. This test is developed to assess the emotional and social abilities that help identify people as strong and effective leaders.
3. Verywell Minds EQ Test
Developed by educator and author Kendra Cherry, the EQ test from Verywell Mind is a simple, 10-question process that aims to determine your emotional intelligence.
Once you answer the ten questions, you are redirected to a page that lets you know if you have a high or low emotional intelligence. Even though the EQ test from the Verywell Mind test does feel a bit over-simplified at times, it's a quick and free method for you to know where your EQ stands, making it an excellent starting point for most people.
Note that the test is not intended for medical advice, and therefore, you shouldn't use it for such purposes.
4. Harvard Business Review Test
The 25-question quiz by Harvard Business Review was posted by Annie McKee, director of the PennCLO Executive Doctoral Program and fellow at the University of Pennsylvania.
The test reminds you to answer the statements as honestly as possible, and the results give you an idea of where you might require some improvement. Another strength of this is that it encourages you to get perspective from others. For instance, you can ask a few trusted friends to assess you using the same statements.
5. EQ Test by University of California, Berkeley
The EQ test by the University of California, Berkeley, is unique as it is more visual than other emotional intelligence tests.
For all of the test's 20 questions, you see a picture of a person's face showing a particular emotion. You then have to identify the emotion from one of the four choices.
Once you submit your answer, the test lets you know if your answer was correct or incorrect. It then shares important pointers on how you can use facial cues to identify particular emotions.
Why Is Emotional Intelligence Important?
Emotional intelligence is crucial as it can help people understand and manage their emotions. This allows them to have a more optimistic attitude on life and feel better about themselves at the workplace.
Here are some reasons highlighting the importance of emotional intelligence.
1. Makes It Easy to Navigate Social Situations
For a lot of us, new social situations can lead to feelings of anxiety. It is completely normal to want to feel accepted within a group and enjoy a pleasant social experience. Nevertheless, the problem is that we get so preoccupied with how others perceive us that social interactions become awkward encounters where we desperately try to control our anxiety and act normal.
The good thing is that emotional intelligence can help in such situations. A study published in the Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment revealed that individuals with high social anxiety could easily adapt to new social situations and navigate interpersonal relationships successfully.
2. Promotes Teamwork
Workers with higher levels of emotional intelligence usually work more cohesively as a team for many reasons. Individuals who are more emotionally intelligent have better communication skills than others. They are open to sharing their ideas and listening to other people's ideas.
Emotionally intelligent workers value their colleague's ideas and input and are more likely to trust them. When they have to work in a team, they're respectful, considerate, and thoughtful, which are imperative qualities for successful teamwork.
3. Makes You Resilient
Emotional resilience is your ability to tolerate uncomfortable and painful emotions. It helps you push through with your goals, regardless of the obstacles you might face in your journey. A study published in the Open Journal of Nursing highlights that emotional intelligence and resilience go hand in hand.
Simply stated, individuals who know how to navigate their emotions can work well under pressure, keep their stress levels in check, and overcome the challenges and frustrations of life.
In short, emotional resilience is one of the ingredients of a healthier and happier life.
How to Increase Your Emotional Intelligence?
Learning how to increase emotional intelligence is all about mindset. You need to transform your outlook so that you are in control of your thoughts, emotions, and actions.
Here are some ways to increase your emotional intelligence.
1. Identify Your Feelings
The first step to becoming emotionally intelligent is to recognize your emotions. Dig deep within yourself and ask yourself what you are truly feeling. Practicing mindfulness is an excellent way to gain perspective on your feelings so you can effectively harness positive emotions and manage negative ones. Research published in Clinical Psychology Review revealed that mindfulness brings about various positive psychological effects, including reduced psychological symptoms and emotional reactivity.
As you become aware of your feelings, you can pay close attention to how you are talking to yourself and others. When you are mindful of your words, you develop empathy for others. This strengthens your existing relationships and helps you build new ones.
When you become emotionally sharper, you become more resilient to challenges. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by adversity, you are able to learn from it and bounce back.
2. Solicit Feedback
Audit your self-perception by asking colleagues, managers, family members, or friends how they would rate your emotional intelligence. For instance, you can ask them about how empathetic or adaptable you are, how you respond to tough situations, and/or how well you manage conflict.
Remember, the answers might not always be what you want to hear, but they will generally be what you should hear.
3. Practice Empathy
Focusing on non-verbal and verbal cues can give you helpful insight into other people's feelings. Try to focus on others and walk in their shoes, even if only for a second.
While empathetic statements don't justify unacceptable behaviors, they do serve as a reminder that everyone is dealing with their own problems.
4. Accept Critique Graciously
An essential part of improving your emotional intelligence is to be able to accept critique. Rather than getting defensive or offended, people with high emotional intelligence take some time to understand where the critique is coming from, how it's impacting others or their own performance, and how they can use it to overcome any problems.
Last Few Words
Taking an emotional intelligence test is important for you as it will help you understand yourself better, which will help you successfully navigate social settings. It will also help you determine your areas of weakness so you can focus on improving upon them.
The strategies listed in this article can help you learn and strengthen your own emotional intelligence skills.
