Okay I'm probably the only person here willing to shell out $6.95 for the results. I feel like I was manipulated into it though. My curiosity got the better of me so here goes.
***********************************************************************
Overall results (score 111)
Ability to recognize and understand emotions, and handle them productively.
You had an average score on this assessment, indicating that both your self-report and ability scores were in the mid-range. You appear to generally be able to accurately recognize the emotions of others, manage your own feelings and know how best to approach others in an empathetic manner. Moreover, you accurately perceive your abilities in this area. This is key to improving your abilities even more, as knowing your strengths and problem areas can help you know which areas you need to concentrate on.
Self-report Component (score 93)
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 slightly below average. People who score like you do feel that their ability to understand and deal with their own emotions and those of others is just barely acceptable. Emotionally intelligent people have an easy time overcoming difficulties in their lives and they are generally able to control their moods. It’s easy for them to motivate themselves to overcome obstacles and reach their goals. In addition, they find social interactions to be quite easy and fulfilling, for several reasons. They are comfortable allowing themselves to get close with others, and feel comfortable being vulnerable enough to establish intimacy. They also report having an easy time offering support to others; likely due to an empathetic nature and a solid ability to offer advice. 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 120)
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 quite high. In fact, you scored a bit higher than the majority of test-takers. People who score as you did have solid knowledge in the areas of recognizing, understanding, and managing emotions. This high score is mostly an indication of your ability to handle the emotions of others, although indirectly it may also mean that you are good at managing your own emotions as well.
Emotional Insight (score 85)
Measures aspects of self-esteem, recognition and control of emotions, and ability to console yourself in a crisis.
Your score on Emotional Insight was relatively low. People with such a score are generally out of touch with their own emotions, and may fail to recognize or identify their true feelings. For instance, they may feel them but cannot verbalize them. They can sometimes have problems pinpointing the underlying reasons for their own actions. They also may lack the ability to console themselves when upset, angry or sad. In addition, people with this profile tend to have poorer self-esteem, difficulty controlling their emotions in highly charged situations, and experience difficulties bouncing back from life's setbacks.
Emotional Expression (score 99)
Measures comfort with expressing emotions, and your willingness to be emotionally vulnerable with others.
You fit somewhere in the mid-range when it comes to Emotional Expression. People with such a score are able to express their emotions in most situations, although they may feel less comfortable with some emotions than others (anger, sadness or even joy). Individuals who posses the ability to express and recognize emotions are typically more communicative, assertive, and self-confident. They also are generally well-equipped to form mature, intimate relationships. With a medium score, however, there is still room for improvement. People with this profile may occasionally find it difficult to share with others, feeling they need to protect their integrity or ego by hiding what they consider to be "irrational" emotions. They may sometimes put on a poker face, without realizing that others can't tell what they are feeling. While they may actually be very sensitive, they could sometimes come across as distant or uninvolved.
Motivation (score 120)
Measures whether you report having the ability to motivate yourself, even in difficult situations.
Your level of Motivation is quite a bit above average. People with such a score possess a more-than-adequate amount of natural motivation and plenty of self-discipline to work towards their goals. In addition, they do not depend on external reinforcement (like praise or frequent encouragement) to keep them going. Individuals with a relatively high level of inner drive generally have what it takes to set personal goals and follow through on them, which likely stems from self-confidence and a proactive approach to life.
Social Insight and Empathy (score 69)
Assesses whether you report being able to understand, empathize with, and help manage the emotions of others.
You had a low score on Social Insight and Empathy. People with such a profile typically have difficulty recognizing the emotions of others and thus cannot respond adequately. They have problems understanding the underlying motives behind people's actions, which may hinder their social interactions. They respond to the face value of behaviors, making them likely to misread and react to the wrong interpretation of the situation. They find it difficult to put themselves into someone else's shoes and see the situation from another perspective. This tendency can make them a bit narrow-minded and set in their ways. They are not generally empathetic or in tune with how others are feeling, lack social insight and may have some trouble making meaningful human connections. For individuals of this nature, it can seem that other people's reactions come out of the blue - they cannot anticipate what's coming.
Recognition of emotions (score 123)
Measures your ability to recognize other people's emotions.
You appear to be more accurate than the average person when it comes to recognizing the emotions of others. When asked to report what you think a person is feeling based on visual cues, you make less errors than the average person. While you may have picked up on most of the correct emotions, the ability to recognize emotions is a natural human capacity and most people make very few errors. When interacting with others, you are likely able to read body language and facial expressions. This is great because it can help you anticipate how best to approach the people around you.
Emotional Integration (score 144)
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 be very skilled when it comes to emotional integration – much more skilled than the average person. This scale entails a number of varied skills. First, it entails 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. You are likely very accomplished at identifying which emotions you are feeling, figuring out what others are feeling, and empathizing with what others experience.
Emotional Insightfulness (score 140)
Assesses whether you are able to identify what a person might be feeling given additional contextual information.
You appear to be much more capable than the average person of taking context into consideration when making judgments about other people’s emotions. You are sometimes able to go beyond what you see on the surface (i.e. what is being conveyed solely though facial expressions and body language), and take into consideration both his or her past and the current context 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. You almost always appear to have empathy for others and will rarely, if ever, come across as insensitive to their feelings.
Control and Maintenance of Emotions (score 97)
Measures the ability to make good decisions in dealing with emotional situations.
While life is seldom black or white, there are certainly good and bad ways to handle emotional situations. On this test, you had more trouble than the average person when it comes to finding appropriate solutions to problems. You may have trouble making decisions about how to resolve issues in your life or when helping others do so. Conversely, you may not realize when something needs to be done; you might let things go 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 somewhat poor because of your struggles in this area.
Emotional Intelligence Test
The following are your strengths, potential strengths, and areas of concern identified by this test.
Strengths
· Excellent objective emotional intelligence
· High amount of goal orientation and motivation
· Good ability to recognize emotions in others
· Very little difficulty with emotional integration
· Possesses good insight into the emotions of others
Potential strengths
· Good emotional IQ level
· Acceptable comfort with expressing emotions
· Passable ability to deal with own emotions and those of others
Areas of concern
· Poor overall self-reported emotional intelligence
· Poor self-reported emotional insight into self
· Poor opinion of own emotional intelligence
In humans, the reptilian brain has links with the neocortex, which can accordingly exert some control over the largely automatic emotional responses of the reptilian brain.
Emotional Intelligence Test
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.
19 Aug 2009, 8:39 pm
I can use inferences and intuition to do well on a test but I'm still somewhat emotionally immature in real life.
Oh, well. I didn't expect anything better.
