In a message dated 8/11/99 5:29:13 PM Pacific Daylight Time, echilds@linex.com writes:
<< Is there some kind of standardized EQ test? If so, has it been found to actually be predictive for a person's social success? For example, do people with higher EQ report higher average levels of happiness, or have fewer divorces? >>
Yes, those with higher EQ's register higher levels of contentment and joy in
life. . Significantly more so, in fact! Those lucky humans are the ones
who seem most at ease with other people, at social functions, and somehow
know how to 'get along better' with others. They seem to intuitively
understand the power of communication far better than most, and know how to
adapt more quickly in a difficult social situation, or what to say to assuage
a problem with others. In my opinion, they are the ones at the top of the
'antheap'!
If I had a choice between high 'IQ' (as defined by most, albeit antiquated testing in this country), and a high 'EQ', there would be no hesitation to select the latter.
Actually, there are EQ tests, but not in the format current testing you find
with, say, Mensa. Although EQ testing seems more subjective, it is just as
objective as IQ determination. How to test for EQ? In a nutshell, certain
'social' situations are discussed with you by an interviewer. This
interviewer may be a psychiatrist, (for example) who asks you to decide what
you would do, or how you would act in specific social situations.
There are no right or wrong answers. Now of course you could bullshit your way through it and give what you would infer are responses that would give you a high 'EQ', but since you undergoing the testing to hopefully help improve yourself, and find out ways to make your life happier, most respondents would very quickly realize that, except for their ego, they are only hurting themselves by giving a response that really is not the way they would act.
Dr. Ed Reifman