Video:What Is an EQ?
with Jennifer D'AmoreEmotional intelligence refers to one's ability to monitor the emotions of himself and others, and to let that information inform their behavior. Here's a more detailed guide to EQ, or emotional intelligence.See Transcript
Transcript:What Is an EQ?
Hi, I'm Jen D'Amore for About.com, and this video is all about emotional intelligence.
Meaning of an EQ
We've all heard of IQ tests that test our intelligence quotient. Well, an EQ test measures our emotional quotient. Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer have led the research on emotional intelligence since 1990. They define it as "the subset of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one's own and other's feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one's thinking and actions."
First Two Branches of Emotional Intelligence
According to their model, there are four branches or steps of emotional intelligence. The first is "accurately perceiving emotions," which includes understanding body language and facial expressions. An attempt to cover up emotions with words could be easily thwarted by posture or a facial expression giving it away. "Reasoning with emotions" is the second step, which uses emotions to "promote thinking and cognitive activity." An emotional response is an indicator of where our attention lies. If an issue "pushes your button," and causes an emotional response, that may seem out of your norm, that issue is worth deeper consideration.
Final Two Branches of Emotional Intelligence
"Understanding emotions" is the third step. This includes recognizing the true cause of an emotion. An angry outlash may seem to be directed at you, but may really be caused by something else, completely unrelated. Recognizing this can lead to healthier communication and less of a tendency to take things personally. The fourth step is "managing emotions." This includes regulating your own emotions as well as appropriately responding to the emotions of others. There is some debate as to whether we are born with our level of EQ, or if it can be learned and strengthened. Taking an EQ test can point out areas of weakness, and allow you to focus on learning the skills that may improve those areas.
Thanks for watching. To learn more, visit us on the web at About.com.