Measuring Emotional Intelligence
Since emotional intelligence is a concept, it’s important to first settle on a good definition.
Definition of emotional intelligence
What do we mean when we refer to emotional intelligence (EQ)? The concept of emotional intelligence was first introduced by Salovey and Mayer (1990):
“an ability to monitor one’s own and others’ emotions,
to discriminate among them, and
to use the information to guide one’s thinking and actions.”
Interestingly, their proposition of the existence of a concept like emotional intelligence was met with a great deal of criticism. At that stage, some researchers felt that similar concepts already existed, whereas others thought that the term ‘intelligence’ was marred with so much criticism that it deterred from the concept of emotional intelligence.
The definition of emotional intelligence has since expanded, and currently, two definitions exist:
- Emotional intelligence is considered an ability (Mayer, Salovey, & Caruso, 2000) or a subtype of intelligence. Much like having a skill or aptitude for mathematics, we might have an aptitude for emotional intelligence. This is also known as ‘ability emotional intelligence’ (O’Connor, Hill, Kayla, & Martin, 2019)
- Emotional intelligence is a combination of intelligence, personality, and emotional expression (Petrides & Furnham, 2001). This is referred to as trait emotional intelligence (O’Connor et al., 2019)
Most researchers seem to accept that emotional intelligence manifests in someone who is emotionally skilled; that is:
- They’re aware of their own emotions.
- They’re aware of someone else’s emotions.
- They’re able to use this knowledge in social situations to their benefit.
Emotional intelligence can be measured in several ways. We’ll discuss a few of the methods in the sections below.
Identifying someone’s emotions in their facial expression
One way to measure emotional intelligence is by asking participants to identify the emotion displayed in a facial expression (Sanchez-Gomez & Breso, 2019).
For example, participants are presented with an image of a face (either a photo or video of someone demonstrating an emotional expression) and asked to indicate the extent to which different emotions are displayed.
For example, participants might rate the degree to which fear, joy, disgust, or surprise are expressed in the photo below.
Solving puzzles/problems
Participants are presented with and asked to solve several emotional problems (Sanchez-Gomez & Breso, 2019). This is akin to how IQ is tested.
Identifying someone else’s emotions in a passage
Participants are given a scenario and must identify how the person in the scenario is feeling (Mayer & Geher, 1996). Here is an example:
“My best friend’s father died this weekend. He had diabetes for a long time. As he got older, his health grew worse and worse. I went to his funeral on Monday. Many of my friends from high school were also there because we wanted to be there for our friend and because we all knew and liked her father. It made me realize how lucky I am to have younger, healthy parents when I saw my friend standing there crying. Just watching her huge family come pouring into the synagogue also made me sad” (Mayer & Geher, 1996, p. 98).
Participants were then presented with a set of 12 dichotomous statements and had to choose which of the two statements better described the feelings of the author of the passage. For example:
‘Hostile – Unhappy for another’
Rating your emotional intelligence
Participants are asked to evaluate their emotional intelligence on a variety of scales. The assumption underlying these tasks is that emotional intelligence is comprised of a set of subscales.
For example, the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i; Bar-On, 1997) has five dimensions, and each dimension comprises different subscales:
Dimensions |
Subscale |
Example question |
Intrapersonal intelligence |
Emotional self-awareness |
It’s fairly easy for me to express my feelings. |
|
Assertiveness |
It’s hard for me to say ‘no’ when I want to. |
|
Self-regard |
I’m happy with the type of person I am. |
|
Self-actualization |
I try to make my life as meaningful as I can. |
|
Independence |
I’m more of a follower than a leader. |
Interpersonal intelligence |
Empathy |
I’m sensitive to the feelings of others. |
|
Interpersonal relationship |
I’m a fairly cheerful person. |
|
Social responsibility |
Others find it hard to depend on me. |
Adaptability |
Problem solving |
My approach in overcoming difficulties is to move step by step. |
|
Reality testing |
It’s hard for me to understand the way I feel. |
|
Flexibility |
It’s difficult for me to change my opinion about things. |
Stress management |
Stress tolerance |
I can handle stress without getting too nervous. |
|
Impulse control |
When I start talking, it is hard to stop. |
General mood |
Happiness |
It’s hard for me to enjoy life. |
|
Optimism |
I believe that I can stay on top of tough situations. |
In total, participants answer 133 questions, each measuring one or more of the five subscales. For each item, participants are expected to evaluate the degree that each statement accurately describes them on a 5-point scale, where 1 = ‘not true of me’ and 5 = ‘true of me.’
One criticism of self-report measures is that they can often be fake or untruthful. There are a number of explanations for this:
- Participants might respond in a socially desirable way.
- Participants might not be good judges of their emotional abilities.
Psychometric and testing terminology: Questionnaires and scales
Psychological concepts are measured in various ways. Some of the scales that we have looked at so far have used Likert scales, questionnaires, and puzzles. Below is a rundown of some of the terminology used in psychological testing. This list is not exhaustive; there are many other ways to collect data.
Questionnaires
Researchers and clinicians administer questionnaires that the participant must complete.
Questions can be open (Question 1) or closed (Question 2).
Question 1: Please describe how you are feeling today.
Question 2: Did you feel sad today?
Scales
As tools to collect data, scales quantify an abstract concept. The difference in the scale measurement indicates a difference in intensity or strength of the concept.
Many emotional intelligence tools are scales that measure the intensity of that concept.
Response scale
A response scale is a type of question where individuals make a response on a scale. The range of the scale can vary.
For example, “On a scale from 1 to 7, indicate how interested you are in positive psychology.” A response of 1 might mean ‘no interest at all,’ and a response of 7 might mean ‘extremely interested.’
Reviewing the Emotional Vibration Scale
One particular tool that can be used to assess emotions is the Emotional Vibration Scale.
The premise of this scale is that emotions can be ranked from positive to negative and that each valence type (positive, negative) continues to generate emotions of that same valence.
In order to move up the scale, away from negative emotions and toward positive emotions, the person is required to assess their emotions. Complex emotions and thoughts need to be broken down into their smaller, base components. Here is an example:
Jeremy is anxious about work. He has a deadline later this week. His thoughts are moving at the speed of light. He feels distracted, irritable, and restless.
When Jeremy breaks down his feelings into their basic components, he realizes that he is feeling:
- Worry (Will he meet his deadline?)
- Doubt (Is he able to meet his deadline?)
- Frustration/irritation (He is more ‘prickly’ than usual.)
Now that Jeremy can recognize his feelings, he can work on ways to address them. His goal is to avoid feeding his negative emotions. He should not ignore these emotions or suppress them, but instead, he should actively work on ways that he can counteract the further development of negative emotions. There are numerous ways to do this, and one such way is practicing mindfulness and gratitude.
Although the Emotional Vibration Scale contains the word ‘scale’ in its name, it does not measure emotional intelligence.
Rather, this tool is meant as a way of informally ranking emotions. Later in this post, we’ll introduce some empirically sound scales with good psychometric properties that measure emotional intelligence.
What our readers think
Hi
I want to find out the factors affecting the teaching faculties of certain universities. Which tool is right?
Kindly guide.
Regards
Hi Manisha,
For investigating the impact of EI on teaching faculties, consider these approaches:
– Self-Report Measures and Questionnaires: Tools like the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) and the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue) can provide insights into the emotional intelligence levels of faculty members. These tools assess various aspects of EI, including self-perception, emotional regulation, empathy, and social skills, which are crucial for effective teaching and faculty interaction.
– Ability-Based Measures: The Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Tests (MSCEIT) offer a performance-based assessment of emotional intelligence. This could help in understanding how faculty members perceive emotions, use emotion to facilitate thought, understand emotional meanings, and manage emotions.
– 360-Degree Feedback: Incorporating feedback from peers, students, and self-assessments can provide a comprehensive view of the faculty’s emotional intelligence. This method allows for the collection of data on how the emotional capabilities of faculty members impact their teaching effectiveness, student engagement, and interpersonal relationships within the university setting.
I hope this helps 🙂
Warm regards,
Julia | Community Manager
Hi. Thank you for this info!
Where can i get the Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test( SREIT) info re: its complete description, reliability and validity, administration, scoring, and interpretation?
I appreciate it!
Hi Vince,
You can find more information about the SSREIT here.
Hope this helps!
Warm regards,
Julia | Community Manager
What scale is best to use with young people?
Hi Sam,
Were you thinking children, adolescence, or young adults?
Let me know, and I am happy to help you further!
Warm regards,
Julia | Community Manager
Hi,
I want to measure emotional intelligence of investors. So please suggest me some tool which help me to complete my research work.
Hi Shweta,
To measure the emotional intelligence (EI) of investors, you can use a combination of self-report questionnaires and behavioral observation methods. Here are some popular tools to assess emotional intelligence:
1. Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i 2.0): The EQ-i 2.0 is a widely used self-report questionnaire that measures different aspects of emotional intelligence, such as self-perception, self-expression, interpersonal, decision-making, and stress management skills. It is available in different languages and suitable for various age groups.
2. Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT): The MSCEIT is a performance-based test that measures emotional intelligence through tasks that assess the ability to perceive, use, understand, and manage emotions. This test can provide a more objective measurement of EI compared to self-report questionnaires.
3. Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue): The TEIQue is a self-report questionnaire that measures global trait emotional intelligence, as well as its four factors: well-being, self-control, emotionality, and sociability.
4. Behavioral Observation: In addition to using standardized questionnaires, you can also observe the behavior of investors in various situations, such as group meetings, negotiations, and decision-making scenarios. This can help you assess their emotional intelligence in real-life situations, which might provide a more accurate reflection of their EI skills.
For your research, you can choose one or a combination of these tools based on your specific research objectives.
Hope this helps. And best of luck with your research work!
Kind regards,
Julia | Community Manager
Hi,
I want to measure social and emotional maturity of post graduate distance learners. So please suggest me some tool which help me to complete my research work.
Hi Preeti,
For emotional maturity, I’d try getting in touch with the creators of the Emotional Maturity Scale to request a copy of their scale manual. For social maturity, try Rao’s Social Maturity Scale (2002). This is a paid instrument, but if you contact the author and let them know you want it for research purposes, you may be able to obtain a copy for free).
Hope this helps!
– Nicole | Community Manager
Hello,
I want to measure emotional intelligence of lawyers. So please suggest me some tool which help me to complete my research work.
Hi Dr. Rathore,
Here are a few tools commonly used to assess emotional intelligence:
– Emotional Competence Inventory (ECI): Developed by Daniel Goleman and Richard Boyatzis, the ECI measures emotional intelligence in various professional contexts, including law. It assesses skills such as self-awareness, empathy, adaptability, teamwork, and leadership.
– Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i): The EQ-i measures emotional and social functioning based on a range of skills, including self-regard, empathy, interpersonal relationships, stress tolerance, and problem-solving. It provides an overall emotional quotient score and various sub-scales that can help identify specific strengths and areas for development.
Hope this helps!
Kind regards,
Julia | Community Manager
How to interpret the results of Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SREIT; Schutte et al., 1998)
Hi Dr. Kumari,
It can be tricky to get this information about scoring interpretation sometimes. It tends to be more common for scales that are applied in clinical settings (e.g., the Beck Depression Inventory), but these cut-offs (e.g., for high, medium, and low levels of a variable) do not always exist outside of clinical settings. I’d say your best bet would be to reach out to the first author of the scale, Dr Nicola Schutte, and see if they have any information on this. You can find her contact information here.
Hope this helps!
– Nicole | Community Manager
Excellent article madam , really insightful.I am interested in assessing emotional intelligence in medical students and would request you to provide the scale and toolkit with ststs.
Good day Dr Singh,
Wonderful to hear from you and thank you for your positive feedback. Could you please let us know exactly which scale and toolkit you are referring to?
Thank you,
Annelé
Madam, Very Informative article..
Very insightful information about emotional intelligence! Great examples and resources
Hi ProSky,
So glad you found the article informative. If you’d like more resources on emotional intelligence, we offer a free Emotional Intelligence toolkit available here.
Thanks for being a reader.
– Nicole | Community Manager
It’s an wonderful write up. Got to know more about test, results etc.
Hi Moztaba,
Fantastic to hear that you found the scales useful. Thanks for reading.
– Nicole | Community Manager
Hello Maam,
will you please share with me Goleman’s EI measurement scale…….
Hi Safir,
I assume you mean the ESCI? This EI measure is a proprietary tool, which means you typically need to undergo certification and purchase a license to use it from Korn Ferry. However, you may be able to administer it for free if you are a student or researcher (you can learn more about these options here).
Hope this helps!
– Nicole | Community Manager