5 Best emotional intelligence test

In this article we will answer the query of “what are the five best emotional intelligence tests?” and understand their characteristics and process. 

What are the five best emotional intelligence tests?

There are a lot of ways to measure emotional intelligence. Self-report measures are one of the most sought-after testing methods. The five best emotional intelligence tests available today are 

• University of Central Florida EQ Test
• University of California, Berkeley Test
• Harvard Business Review Test
• Alpha High IQ Society Test
• PsychTests’ EQ Test

What Is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence (EI) is our ability to sense, perceive, control, and evaluate emotions. While some researchers propose that it is a learned characteristic and can be strengthened over time others believe that it is an innate characteristic present since our birth.  

Though expression and our control over our emotions are necessary we also need to possess an appropriate understanding of emotions to interpret them accurately. Because unless we interpret these emotions accurately we cannot relate to the emotions of others. 

It would have been a very sad and difficult world if people couldn’t understand and relate to each other’s emotions. This ability of understanding, analyze to respond to emotions accurately is called emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is so vital in our lives that some researchers have even argued that it plays a bigger role in our success than IQ. 

Branches Emotional intelligence 

Emotional intelligence consists of four branches or levels. They are:

• Emotional perception
• Reasoning with emotion
• understanding emotions.
• Managing  emotions

The four branches of Emotional intelligence are placed according to their levels of complexity and importance. Therefore the lowest levels involve the perception and expression of emotion and the higher levels consist of understanding and regulating emotions.

Perceiving emotions: 

In order to understand an emotion we need to perceive them without any errors. There are various ways to perceive emotions and they are not restricted to just verbal cues. Emotions can be perceived through observing body language, non verbal cues as well as facial expressions.

Reasoning with emotions:

In this level it is judged how well a person utilizes emotions to enhance thinking and cognitive activity.  Emotions govern the way we react to things and also the things that garner our attention. 

Understanding emotions: 

After we have perceived the emotions it is also necessary to understand what they mean. Emotions can convey a lot of meanings and implications. It is necessary to gauge the meaning of the expressed emotions and the reasons behind them.  For example, if your professor is irritated in the classroom it could be because he is disappointed in the class or it could also be because he had an argument at home. By understanding the emotion expressed we can also distinguish and interpret its causes. 

Managing emotions:

Managing emotions effectively  is an integral part of emotional intelligence and can also be considered as the highest level out of the four levels.  Itis said that a highly emotionally intelligent person is defined by how well they regulate as well as respond to the emotions. The ability to regulate emotions to respond appropriately comes under emotional management.

Types of Emotional Intelligence tests

There are several ways to assess emotional intelligence. The various tests measuring Emotional Intelligence (EI) majorly fall into two categories. The categories are as follows 

Self-report tests

These tests are most common as they are easier to administer and assess. In these types of tests the test-takers rate their behaviors by  responding to questions or statements. Usually there are 5 options available and test takers have to choose the option that is the most relevant to them in terms of their behavior. 

For example, for a statement of, “I feel sad when I see someone crying’, the option would be

• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Neither agree or Disagree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree 

Ability Tests

In these types of tests the testers have to exhibit their abilities in responding to a situation. A third party (who is unbiased and impartial in this process) assesses and then rates the demonstrated ability of the testers. 

Tests For Emotional Intelligence

University of Central Florida EQ Test

The test is accessible for free on the “My Emotions” website that also offers free online quizzes and it is from the credible education institution; the University of Central Florida.

The test is only for individuals of 18 years of age and above and age verification before the start of the test is necessary. The test is self-conducted and scored on a seven-point scale. The test also provides a breakdown of your score and explains the reasons behind your obtained score. 

University of California, Berkeley Test

This emotional intelligence is another test from an accredited University. The unique feature of this test is that it’s visual in nature. The test consists of twenty questions and for each of these 20 questions test-takers will see a photo of a person’s face expressing a particular emotion. Test takers are supposed to identify the emotion from the four choices provided. Once the answer has been selected the test lets you know about whether you were right or wrong and also helps in assessing facial emotions by providing helpful tips on how to identify facial cues. 

Harvard Business Review Test

This is a quiz test from “Harvard Business Review” that  consists of 25 questions 

This test helps you in adopting the right mindset and also guides you to improve in the areas where you might be lacking. It also directs you to seek unbiased an impartial evaluation by getting yourself analyzed and evaluatued by a friend or family member on the same statements, 

Alpha High IQ test 

This is a free test from Alpha High Society. This is a timed test of 24 minutes wherein participants have to complete the questions within that duration. Though there is a time limit for the test , it doesn not take that long to complete the test as it is only has 10 questions. It is developed by Daniel Golemann author of bestselling book on Emotional Intelligence. 

PschTest’s EQ test

This EQ test is an indepth test on Emotional Intellignce. It consists of 341 questions and the participants have to choose from at least seven options. Not all questions are based on complex concepts or ideas. For example, the first question features a photo of a group that appears to be friends, and participants are supposed to identify what one of the people is feeling at that very moment.

Benefits of EI

There are certainly various benefits of Emotional Intelligence as it has very positive impact on our lives and success. Some of the benefits are listed as follows.

Self-Awareness

It is observed that high EQ helps in understanding ourselves better. It promotes and growth and developments in individuals. Highly emotionally intelligent people appreciate feedback or constructive criticism and constantly strive to improve themselves. They are also more aware and sensitive to the feelings of others.   

Communication

Communication is highly valued in every aspect of life. It makes things easier and uncomplicated and promotes a healthy and productive environment.  

Highly emotional intelligent individuals  recognize the importance of communicating clearly and respectfully. They can keep their calm in highly stressful and emotionally charged situationsThey have the ability to defuse other people’s defensiveness and to identify the root  causes of a person’s emotional reactions. This allows them to influence others, to solve problems more effectively, and to maintain the quality of their relationships.

Leadership

Leadership is a huge responsibility and requires individual who can take on this challenging situation. It is observed that emotionally intelligent leaders are able to control themselves, their emotions, thoughts, and actions in a positive manner. Therefore they are viewed as ideal leadership candidates among their peers. Their self-control helps them to behave consistently as they influence and connect with those that they manage.

Change

Change can be difficult for some as adapting to newer conditions or environment can generate frustration, feear, anger or even anxiety. People who are emotionally intelligent can manage the stress and anxiety that the challenges of change often present. Their ability to manage such situations helps other in trusting and relying on them. 

Compassion

It is no secret that emotional intelligence promotes compassion and empathy for others. By understanding how to connect and reach out to people we can gain respect and trust from others.  Empathy is vital for the developments of compassion. Emotionally intelligent people display high levels of empathy and therefore posses great compassion for others. 

Productivity

Productivity is another aspect that is greatly influenced by Emotional Intelligence, As indicivuals with high EQ possess the knowledge of appropriately handling conflict and differing opinions, they are not waylaid by others’ negative emotions. They can retain their rationality even in heated situations and solve problems efficiently with a calm demeanor. 

Relationships

Our relationship and its equality affects the respect, admiration we hold for each other. By understanding and developing the knowledge on how to buld and sustain healthy relationship can help us gretly in our every day lives and make a lot of things easier,. People with high EQ do not obsess oover  the negative emotional reactions of others. In fact they strive  to understand the root cause  of others’ feelings and the values that they hold close to them. This helps them to build lasting relationships with people.

Conclusion

We learned about the 5 best measures to test emotional intelligence and also explored their characteristics and processes as well as the intriguing concept of emotional intelligence. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to measure emotional intelligence?

To test Emotional Intelligence we have three methods of measurement. They are self report, Other-report, Ability measures tests.

What is a good EQ score out of 100?

Emotional Intelligence is tested through a variety of tests. A perfect EQ score is 160 but the average score for EQ is in the range of 90-100. 

What is an EQ vs IQ?

IQ stands for Intelligence Quotient which measures our problem solving skills, logical skills, and our capacity to learn and understand complex concepts. Whereas EQ stands for Emotional Quotient and  measures precpetion, understanding, and regulation of emotions 

Is intelligence inherited?

Intelligence can be affected by genetic as well as environmental factors.Some studies prove that genetic composition can influence a person’s intelligence.

Can you increase your intelligence?

Although there hasnt been concrete evidence of whether you can increase or IQ or not but some research and studies suggest that it is possible to boost yor intelligence through some brain stimulation activities and techniques.By training our memory, visuospatial reasoning and executive control we can try to raise our intelligence.

References 

Cherry, K. (2020, June 3). How emotionally intelligent are you? Verywell Mind. Retrieved December 29, 2021, from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-emotional-intelligence-2795423

Matthews, K., & Kayla Matthews (133 Articles Published) . (2017, January 23). 8 free emotional intelligence tests that reveal more about you. MUO. Retrieved December 29, 2021, from https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/free-emotional-intelligence-tests/

Stoker, J. (n.d.). 10 advantages that result from increasing your emotional intelligence. DialogueWORKS. Retrieved December 29, 2021, from https://www.dialogueworks.com/blog/10-advantages-that-result-from-increasing-your-emotional-intelligence