Sample Report - Emotional Intelligence Test

Emotional Intelligence Test

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Our Emotional Intelligence Test consists of two parts; a self-report portion and an ability portion. The test assesses your capacity to: recognize your own emotions and those of others; understand how best to motivate yourself; become close to others; and manage your own feelings and those of others.

Overall results
IQ score = 66
Percentile score = 1

Both your self-report and ability scores on this assessment were very poor. You appear to have great difficulty recognizing the emotions of others, managing your own feelings and knowing how best to approach others in an empathetic manner. On a positive note, you are aware of your limitations. Awareness is key to helping you find the motivation to improve in this area, and knowing which areas you most need to work on improving.

Emotional Intelligence Test

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Some researchers say that EIQ can be learned or increased; whereas others say that EIQ is stable, and cannot be increased.

In the late 1990’s, emotional intelligence (EIQ) was one of the hottest buzz-phrases in contemporary psychology. In the business world, it became a hot topic, largely due to one author’s claim that a high EIQ was one of the best predictors of success in the workplace. In his 1995 book, Emotional Intelligence, Why it Can Matter More than IQ, author Daniel Goleman used an early definition by researcher Peter Salovey which stated that the construct of EIQ includes knowing one’s emotions, emotional self-control, motivation and persistence, recognizing emotions of others, and successfully handling relationships. Goleman made some very strong statements in his book, including the suggestion that EIQ is one of the main keys to success in life. He implied that emotional intelligence is at the root of many of life’s puzzles. Why are some smart people unsuccessful? Why do certain individuals strike out at others in a violent manner? Why so some excel at managing others while others struggle? He hinted that EIQ was an answer to all these, and many others, of life’s questions.

Since the birth of the concept in a 1985 thesis by Wayne Leon Payne, researchers have been working to discover what factors play a part in emotional intelligence. Many conceptions of emotional intelligence are divided into two main parts; aspects related to understanding and dealing with one’s own emotions, and those related to understanding the emotions of others and handling social interactions. For many prominent EIQ researchers, including most notably Goleman and Reuven Bar-on, the construct also includes broader traits such as motivation, interpersonal and other personal attributes (this is often called a mixed model). For others, including Peter Salovey and John Meyer and their colleagues, the latest models of EIQ are strictly related to the test-taker’s abilities in this area (often called an ability model). Like the classical notion of intelligence, they feel that emotional intelligence is a cognitive ability that can be accurately and concretely defined and measured.

Three main options exist in terms of how to assess EIQ:

Assess the related skills as you would traditional intelligence, with questions where the goal is to select the best answer. This method works best with the ability model of emotional intelligence.
Evaluate these skills through self-report, where the test-takers answer according to what they most likely would do in a variety of situations. This works best with the mixed model of emotional intelligence.
Create an assessment that combines these two techniques, and therefore utilizes both the ability model and the mixed model of EIQ, while helping to overcome potential problems of both.

It appears that the mixed models and the ability methods of evaluating EIQ do not assess exactly the same thing. In fact, Mayer and Salovey themselves found that their assessment shares only 10% of the variance with Bar-on’s self-report measure of emotional intelligence (Mayer, Caruso, Salovey, 2000). This means that while they may be somewhat related, there is not enough overlap to justify using only one or the other. Since self-report and ability measures can be seen as distinct elements, our assessment will include both forms but report scores for both separately. Both types of measures have been shown to have predictive value in different areas in a large number of studies, so using both can create a measure that is effective in measuring success in a variety of areas.

Our definition of emotional intelligence is Mayer et al.’s (1999) definition:

Emotional intelligence refers to an ability to recognize the meanings of emotions and their relationships, and to reason and problem-solve on the basis of them. Emotional intelligence is involved in the capacity to perceive emotions, assimilate emotion-related feelings, understand the information of those emotions, and manage them (p. 267).

We chose to assess this construct using both self-report questions and ability questions. The results may at times contradict each other because people vary in their ability to assess themselves accurately. If this is the case, the results will clearly state where the contradiction occurs.

Emotional Intelligence Test

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Completion: Month, Day, Year, Time (time stamp)

Overall results (score 66)

Ability to recognize and understand emotions, and handle them productively.

Self-report Component (score 72)

Includes self-reported ability to understand your emotions and those of others, ability to motivate yourself, and your level of comfort with becoming close with others.

According to your self-report answers, your emotional intelligence is very poor. People who score like you do feel that they have trouble dealing with their own emotions and those of others. They struggle to overcome difficulties in their lives and they are unable to control their moods. It’s hard for them to understand how best to motivate themselves and reach their goals. In addition, they find social interactions quite difficult, for several reasons. They may have trouble allowing themselves to get close with others, finding it difficult to be vulnerable enough to establish intimacy. They also report having trouble offering support to others, likely due to the fact that they do not understand where others are coming from or they lack ideas about how best to help. Perhaps by working on your problem areas, you can become more confident in dealing with your own emotions and those of others.

Ability Component (score 69)

Refers to how well you identify emotions in others, whether you are able to understand complex emotional situations, and whether you understand how best to deal with emotions.

Your scores on the ability component of this test were very low. People who score in this range appear to lack knowledge in the areas of recognizing, understanding, and managing emotions. This low score is mostly an indication of a poor ability to handle the emotions of others, although indirectly it also probably means that they have difficulty managing their own emotions as well. This area can certainly be improved with effort; however, it is difficult to improve without help. Seeking help from a professional (psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker, etc.) would probably be a great start to improving your abilities.

Emotional Insight (score 55)

Measures aspects of self-esteem, recognition and control of emotions, and ability to console yourself in a crisis.

You had a low score on Emotional Insight. People with such a score are generally out of touch with their own emotions, and frequently fail to recognize or identify their true feelings. For instance, they may feel them but cannot verbalize them. They have problems pinpointing the underlying reasons for their own actions. They also lack the ability to console themselves when upset, angry or sad. In addition, people with this profile tend to have poor self-esteem, difficulty controlling their emotions in highly charged situations, and experience difficulties bouncing back from life's setbacks.

Emotional Expression (score 86)

Measures comfort with expressing emotions, and your willingness to be emotionally vulnerable with others.

You had a fairly low score on Emotional Expression. People with such a score have difficulty handling strong emotions, both in themselves and in others. They generally don't feel comfortable expressing their feelings, and even when they want to communicate, they are unsure how to talk about those feelings. Individuals who are unable to express emotions are often overwhelmed when faced with emotional situations, like dealing with other people who are distraught or upset. In fact, this lack of comfort can even include an avoidance of expressing positive feelings and interacting with anyone exhibiting any strong emotional reaction, good or bad. This often results in repression of feelings and an excess of pent up emotions that can lead to anger, sadness and emotional distance from others. People with this profile generally don't ask for support, and attempt to ignore or rationalize away their emotions. They often feel like they need to protect their integrity or ego by hiding what they consider to be "irrational" emotions. They tend to put on a poker face (perhaps as a defense mechanism), but they may not realize that others can't tell what they are feeling. While they may actually be very sensitive, they could come across as cold and uninvolved.

Motivation (score 81)

Measures whether you report having the ability to motivate yourself, even in difficult situations.

You had a relatively low score on Motivation. People with such a score lack the initiative that is necessary to work towards a goal. Individuals who have low levels of drive levels are generally not self-starters. They likely have difficulty overcoming obstacles that come between them and their goals. They tend to lack self-discipline and a sense of direction in their lives, which hinders their attempts to achieve success. For some, this may be because they do not believe in themselves, and therefore refuse to put their full efforts into anything for fear of failure. In addition, people with this profile have a high need for external reinforcement (like praise or frequent encouragement) and low internal motivation (lacking personal satisfaction from reaching goals), which makes it more challenging to stick to things in the long-term.

Social Insight and Empathy (score 101)

Assesses whether you report being able to understand, empathize with, and help manage the emotions of others.

In regards to Social Insight and Empathy, your score puts you in the average range. Individuals with such a score are generally able recognize the emotions of others and understand the underlying motivations behind their actions. They are also typically able to put themselves in other people's shoes and empathize, which is obviously an important skill for having satisfying and meaningful human interaction. With an average score, however, there is still some room for improvement. An individual of this nature may sometimes come across as narrow-minded or lacking in sensitivity, and could occasionally misinterpret other people's behavior.

Recognition of emotions (score 72)

Measures your ability to recognize other people's emotions.

You appear to have a great deal of difficulty recognizing emotions. Even the strongest or clearest displays of emotion may be lost on you. This obstacle could cause a great deal of problems in your relationships with others. When interacting with others, we need to be able to read body language and facial expressions in order to gauge how best to approach them. Otherwise it is easy to approach people in an inappropriate manner and not even know it! You would be well-served to seek guidance from a professional to learn ways of compensating for this limitation.

Emotional Integration (score 66)

Ability to understand what a feeling would feel like, to understand mixed emotions and emotional progressions, underlying emotion behind art or music, or to liken feelings to physical sensations.

You appear to have a difficult time when it comes to emotional integration – much more than the average person. This scale entails a number of varied skills. First, it involves being able to describe how emotions feel physically, and to liken them to phenomena that occur in the world, such as colors, weather, etc. Second, it entails the capacity to identify the emotion that a person must be feeling based on physical sensations that he or she is experiencing. Finally, it involves the ability to understand how emotions progress when they become stronger or weaker, and what two emotions mixed together become when integrated. Your difficulty in this area could lead you to have problems identifying emotions in yourself and in others, or to have problems empathizing with people.

Emotional Insightfulness (score 86)

Assesses whether you are able to identify what a person might be feeling given additional contextual information.

You appear to have much more trouble than the average person taking context into consideration when making judgments about other people’s emotions. Either you are sometimes only able to see what is on the surface (i.e. what is being conveyed solely though facial expressions and body language), or you misjudge altogether the impact of the information you have about the person when determining what he or she is feeling in that situation. Being able to put yourself in other people’s shoes is essential to understanding others. Without this ability, you may sometimes lack empathy for others and may come across as insensitive to their feelings.

Control and Maintenance of Emotions (score 57)

Measures the ability to make good decisions in dealing with emotional situations.

You’re not someone who feels comfortable dealing with emotional situations. On this test, you appeared to struggle a great deal in comparison to others when it comes to finding appropriate solutions to problems. You may not realize when something needs to be done; you might let things go unresolved instead of taking action. Being able to make decisions about how to deal with emotional situations is essential for many different aspects of life: having successful relationships, dealing with co-workers and handling life’s obstacles, among others. Your ability to nurture others, resolve conflicts, and offer insightful advice is probably very poor because of your struggles in this area.

Emotional Intelligence Test

Report for: Sample Only (user name inserted)
Completion: Month, Day, Year, Time (time stamp)

Emotional Insight into Self

Here are some ways that you can improve your ability to gain insight into your own emotions:

Stay in touch with your feelings; pay attention to what triggers them and how you react.
Question your beliefs: do you think ignoring your emotions will make them go away? While this may be true for minor issues, strong feelings will manifest themselves in other ways (health problems, bitterness, etc.).
Pay attention to your body when you're upset, sad or angry - what are the signs? Learning to recognize how you react in response to different sentiments can help you become more in tune with your emotions.
Be honest with yourself; everyone feels things, and it's nothing to hide or be nervous about. Emotions are important signals that we need to listen to in order to feel more fulfilled in life.
Boost your coping skills; build a supportive social network, learn how to relieve stress, etc.
If you're prone to losing control of your emotions, try taking a step back from heated situations. Give yourself some time to gain control rather than reacting immediately.
Practice keeping your feelings under control (without suppressing them) and it will become more natural. Learn the appropriate times to express them so they don’t boil over in inappropriate situations.
Remember: emotion is just a whirlwind of activity passing through your body and mind. You help create it, and feed it; how you react is important to its outcome. See a professional in cognitive therapy if you wish to learn concrete strategies to overcome negative thought patterns and to question any heavily ingrained beliefs.
Get to know yourself better. For example, make a list of your strengths and limitations. The more in touch you are with who you are, the better you will be able to understand and handle your emotions.
Build your self-esteem. Remind yourself of your strengths; work on important weaknesses but don’t dwell on them or let them take over your life.

Goal Orientation and Motivation

Here are some ways you can improve your motivation:

Give yourself a taste of success to gain motivation and belief in the worthiness of your goals. For example, if you would like to start a career helping people in some way, volunteer somewhere to gain some experience. If you want to write a novel, begin with a short story. Once you experience a "slice" of your goal, you will be more driven to pursue it outright.
Get a mentor. Do you know someone who is inspiring to you? Learn what you can from their experience. Ask questions and seek his or her advice, and put your new knowledge to use.
Consider that poorly chosen goals may be decreasing your motivation. Ponder questions such as: Are your goals realistic? Are they really what you care about, or do they represent other people's ambitions for you? Find a goal that motivates you and you're on the right track.
Are other things going on in your life that could be de-motivating you? If you are stressed about other things, it may be hard to even think about your goals. Deal with these issues and your drive should improve.
Apply self-control and self-discipline. Practice delaying gratification and stifling impulsiveness.
Take small steps if the big ones overwhelm you. If your goal, for example, is to "sell" a new idea at work, take care of all the details first. Gather information, do all the beginning steps and things will take on a life of their own. Reward yourself when you complete different steps.
Make contracts with yourself; write down the reasons why you want to pursue the goal and refer to it later on when you feel discouraged.
Learn to be your own coach; practice positive self-talk, give yourself a pat on the back.
Think to the future. Imagine the regret you will feel if you do not accomplish your goals. It can be especially difficult to know that you have failed simply because of lack of motivation.
Post your goals somewhere prominent so that you can see them everyday.

Emotional Expression

Here are some ways to help you improve your ability to express emotions:

Take small steps; start expressing emotions that are least intimidating and you will surely find that it's not as bad as you think. On the positive side, begin with genuine compliments and then take it further to an expression of appreciation. When you need to communicate a negative feeling, try writing it if you feel too intimidated to say it. Like learning any new skill, it will get easier with practice.
Choose what is most important. You obviously can't express every little thing you feel, or throw all your strong emotions at someone at the same time. It is more effective (and healthier) to pace your expressions evenly - don't wait for the floodgates to open because they can't hold any longer.
Learn to communicate effectively. An important factor in the effectiveness of expressing our emotions is HOW we do it. Blowing up at someone, for example, is not usually the best way to communicate a feeling. Good communication skills are the key. And, being skills, they can be learnt.
Build self-confidence and self-esteem. The more assertive you become, the easier it should be to express your feelings.
Build meaningful, trusting relationships. Most of us need someone we can talk to, someone we know we can express our feelings to with no fear of rejection or ridicule.
Consider the implications of not releasing your feelings: a lack of intimacy with others, pent up feelings, health problems, etc.
Remember that communication involves a lot more than what is just said. Our gestures, expressions and tone of voice send just as strong (or even stronger signals) than the words we choose. If you are harboring unspoken feelings (negative or positive) it may be apparent to those around you.
Practice distinguishing between what you are thinking and what you are feeling. They are not always one and the same, and we need to recognize this in order to clearly express where we are coming from.

Social Insight, Recognition of Emotions, and Empathy

Here are some ways to help you increase your social insight and empathy:

Pay attention to how others are reacting, and what they are communicating to you. Putting in the extra effort to really listen and observe can teach you a lot about human interaction and emotions.
While you certainly can't fake empathy, you can increase your connection to other people by truly listening and trying to put yourself in their shoes.
Build meaningful relationships that teach you about human nature.
If you're not sure how someone is feeling, ask for clarification (if it's appropriate); a simple "How are you feeling?" or "Could you explain your perspective to me?" might do the trick.
Put aside your own preoccupations to consider what might be going through other people's minds in different situations. Ask yourself how you would feel in a similar situation. In every situation, there are several perspectives. Try to identify at least 2 or 3 different ways to look at it.
Put empathy in action. Get involved in helping people in some way (i.e. volunteering); the closer you get to a situation, the more you should realize the difficulties others might be facing.

Managing emotions

Here are some ways you can learn how best to deal with the emotions of others:

Understand that everyone has his or her bad days. Sure it can be hard to overlook it when someone snaps at you or is otherwise unpleasant, but remembering that nearly everyone is unpleasant sometimes when under stress (even you!) can help you learn to take things less personally.
Sometimes, when a person is upset, all he or she needs is an ear. If you are scared to be around a person who is upset because you don’t know what to do to help, remember that there’s no special training required to hear someone out.
Try to follow the person’s lead. If he or she keeps bringing up the issue that is bothering him or her, it’s a good idea to discuss it. Otherwise, it may be better to distract him or her with more enjoyable things. The important thing is to keep your eyes and ears open so you can figure out how best to proceed.
If a person is angry at you, make sure that you do not minimize or disregard his or her feelings by defending yourself. A person has a right to his or her feelings, whatever they may be.
Encourage open communication. If you feel unsure what is going through someone’s head, it is generally ok to ask. Ask what you can do to help. Be honest about what you can offer.