Measuring Emotional Intelligence

The idea of emotional intelligence and our ability to measure it is interesting. We refer to people by emotional adjectives- they are ‘happy,’ they act ‘maturely,’ and we interact with different people in different ways based on our own emotional intelligence. Some people never pick up on the cues other people are placing down. Does that indicate a lack of emotional intelligence?

Reuven Bar-On created the Bar-On Emotional Intelligence Test in 1995 to answer some of the questions he had involving emotional intelligence and how to accurately measure this abstract construct. Using theory and psychological application he created a system used by many organizations and people today.

Discovering emotion

Emotional intelligence doesn’t just mean having the ability to have and express emotions in various settings. There are thought to be three main models of emotional intelligence which include the Mayer-Salovey model, the Goleman model, and the Bar-On model. The Mayer-Salovey model defines emotional intelligence as the ability to use, perceive, and understand emotions to facilitate thinking, while the Goleman model measures emotional and social competencies that influence how a person manages and leads.

The Bar-On model changed its definition of emotional intelligence to include an array of emotional and social abilities, skill and behaviors that impact a person’s intelligent actions. These social abilities, skills and behaviors include problem solving, independence, assertiveness, optimism, stress tolerance, self-regard, flexibility, interpersonal relationships, happiness, self-actualization, empathy, emotional self-awareness, social responsibility, impulse control, and reality testing.

The Bar-On model breaks down its emotional intelligence components into five categories which are Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Adaptability, Stress, Management, and General Mood.

Discovering Theory

The theory behind Bar-On’s emotional model includes some of Darwin’s theories of survival and adaptation. He stressed the importance of appropriate emotional behavior for animals and humans adapting to changing environments and situations. Other theoretical influences to this emotional test included Thorndike and Wechsler, among others.

The Bar-On model was used as a way to analyze a person’s psychological well-being and has continued to change and evolve over the years. As additional research has validated or invalidated some of the claims of the Bar-On, the creator adapted his interpretation of emotional intelligence to fit the new data.

Insights Discovery used the works of Jung to change and shape their personality test, which takes a look at similar metrics as the Bar-On but with a different theoretical basis and different analytical methods. The Bar-On is certainly another interesting way to discover personality types.

Jung opened up an entirely new world with his discoveries, and discoveries into the psychology of personality and the self are still being made today. Insights Discovery is based squarely on Jung’s theories, and as such is an invaluable tool in helping people understand themselves and others.  If reschedule me, Scott Schwefel, as your keynote speaker. I will come to your group and address the differences in personalities in a truthful, fun, and easy-to-understand way. Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to share my blogs with the color energies you work with!

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