Project Description
Emotional Quotient Inventory 2.0 (EQ-I 2.0) is a powerful assessment tool that implements the emotional intelligence model of Dr. Bar-On. The tool is developed by Multi-Health Systems Inc. The model includes 16 scales related to different aspects of emotional intelligence. The psychological traits of EQ-I 2.0 have been adapted to handwriting analysis by using HSDetect, a computer-aided handwriting analysis tool. So during the research subjects performed the EQ-I-test and provided their handwriting samples. These samples were evaluated with HSDetect and the results will be statistically compared with EQ-I 2.0.
The scales of EQ-I 2.0
| SR | Self-Regard | Self‐Regard is respecting oneself while understanding and accepting one’s strengths and weaknesses. Self‐Regard is often associated with feelings of inner strength and self‐confidence. Self‐acceptance is the ability to accept one’s perceived positive and negative aspects as well as one’s limitations and possibilities. This component of emotional intelligence is associated with general feelings of security, inner strength, self‐assuredness, self‐confidence, and self‐adequacy. Feeling sure of oneself is dependent upon self‐respect and self‐esteem, which are based on a well developed sense of identity. A person with a well‐developed self‐regard feels fulfilled and satisfied with him or herself. At the opposite end of the continuum are feelings of personal inadequacy and inferiority. |
| SA | Self-Actualization | Self‐Actualization is the willingness to persistently try to improve oneself and engage in the pursuit of personally relevant and meaningful objectives that lead to a rich and enjoyable life. Striving to actualize one’s potential involves engaging in enjoyable and significant activities and making a lifelong and enthusiastic commitment to long‐term goals. Self‐actualization is an ongoing, dynamic process of striving toward maximum development of one’s abilities, capacities, and talents. This component of emotional intelligence is associated with persistently trying to do one’s best and improve oneself in general. Self‐actualization is associated with feelings of self‐satisfaction. |
| SW | Emotional Self-Awareness | Emotional Self‐Awareness includes recognizing and understanding one’s own emotions. It involves the ability to differentiate between subtleties in these emotions, while being aware of their causes and the impact they have on the thoughts and actions of oneself and others. At the core of emotional self‐awareness is the ability to know what one is feeling and why, while being able to recognize and understand the source of those feelings. |
| EE | Emotional Expression | Emotional Expression is openly expressing one’s feelings verbally and non‐verbally. Emotional expression extends beyond the simple overt expression of one’s feelings, to include the communication of those feelings in a manner that can be understood and experienced by the recipient. |
| AS | Assertivness | Assertiveness involves communicating feelings, beliefs, and thoughts openly, and defending personal rights and values in a socially acceptable, non‐offensive, and non‐destructive manner. Assertiveness is a complex and essential component of emotional intelligence that transcends one’s ability to express emotion. Assertiveness includes the expression of feelings, but further encompasses one’s ability to openly express thoughts, beliefs, and ideas, even in the face of adversity, and to defend and stand up for one’s personal rights. |
| IN | Independence | Independence is the ability to be self‐directed and free from emotional dependency on others. Decision making, planning, and daily tasks are completed autonomously. Independent people are self‐reliant in planning and making important decisions; however, highly independent individuals may seek and consider the opinions of others before making the best decision. Seeking consultation or advice and gathering information are not signs of dependency. Independence is the ability to function autonomously without protection and support: independent people avoid clinging to others to satisfy their emotional needs. |
| IR | Interpersonal Relationship | Interpersonal Relationships refers to the skill of developing and maintaining mutually satisfying relationships that are characterized by trust and compassion. Mutually satisfying relationships include social interchanges that are potentially meaningful, rewarding, and enjoyable. Among positive interpersonal relationship skills are the ability to connect with others by remaining open and by a willingness to both give and receive affection and intimacy; and the ability to remain at ease and comfortable in social situations. This emotional skill requires sensitivity toward others, the desire to establish meaningful relationships, and the ability to feel satisfied with relationships. |
| EM | Empathy | Empathy is recognizing, understanding, and appreciating how other people feel. Empathy involves being able to articulate your understanding of another’s perspective and behaving in a way that respects others’ feelings. At the core of empathic behavior is being able to perceive and appreciate what, how, and why people feel the way they do ‐ being able to emotionally “read” other people ‐ while demonstrating an interest in and concern for others. |
| RS | Social Responsibility | Social Responsibility is willingly contributing to society, to one’s social groups, and generally to the welfare of others. Social Responsibility involves acting responsibly, having social consciousness, and showing concern for the greater community. |
| PS | Problem Solving | Problem Solving is the ability to find solutions to problems in situations where emotions are involved. Problem solving includes the capacity to understand how emotions impact decision making. Problem solving is a complex and even multiphasic process. It is not about neutralizing emotion, but about using emotional information to enhance the process of recognizing a problem, feeling confident in one’s ability to work through it, defining the problem, generating a solution, and implementing the plan. The appropriate application of emotional information can help identify potential pitfalls, inspire the recruitment of help, and even expedite the solution by evoking feelings of confidence. Problem solving is about understanding the impact that emotions have on the decision making process and using those emotions most effectively. |
| RT | Reality Testing | Reality Testing is the capacity to remain objective by seeing things as they really are. This involves recognizing when emotions or personal bias can cause one to be less objective. Reality testing involves the active search for objective information to confirm, support, justify, and validate feelings, perceptions and thoughts. Strong reality testing skills allow one to keep things in the proper perspective and experience things as they really are, without fantasizing, daydreaming, or attaching wants, desires, and ideals to a context. An important aspect of reality testing involves the ability to concentrate and remain focused when presented with emotionally evocative situations. In essence, reality testing is all about perception, clarity, and objectivity. |
| IC | Impuls Control | Impulse Control is the ability to resist or delay an impulse, drive, or temptation to act. It involves avoiding rash behaviors and impetuous decision making. Impulse control entails a capacity for recognizing and accepting one’s desire to react without becoming a servant to that desire. Difficulties in impulse control are manifested by low emotional threshold, impulsiveness, loss of self‐control, and unpredictable behavior. |
| FL | Flexibility | Flexibility is adapting emotions, thoughts and behaviors to unfamiliar, unpredictable, and dynamic circumstances or ideas. This component of emotional intelligence refers to one’s overall ability to adapt and tolerate the stress that accompanies change. Flexible people are agile and capable of reacting to change with minimal adverse effect; they are open to and capable of change, and tolerant of new ideas, orientations, and practices. |
| ST | Stress Tolerance | Stress Tolerance involves coping with stressful or difficult situations and believing that one can manage or influence those situations in a positive manner. This component of emotional intelligence is multifaceted: one’s stress tolerance depends on being equipped with the necessary and relevant coping skills; maintaining a belief that one can handle the situation; and feeling confident that one can have a positive impact on the outcome. Stress tolerance is very much related to resilience and, when coupled with optimism, is a strong indicator of one’s ability to effectively deal with problems and crises (as opposed to surrendering to feelings of helplessness and hopelessness). When stress tolerance is low, anxiety is likely, which can have negative effects on well‐being, concentration, and ultimately performance. |
| OP | Optimismus | Optimism is an indicator of one’s positive attitude and outlook on life. It involves remaining hopeful and resilient, despite occasional setbacks. Optimism assumes a measure of hope in one’s approach to life. It is a positive approach to daily living and a significant component of resilience and well‐being. |
Results
Since the data of experiment was normally distributed it was possible to apply the correlation analysis.
Nine scales (SR, SA, AS, IN, IR, EM, PS, ST, OP) demonstrated high positive correlation, which means an agreement between the test and the handwriting analysis..
One scale (FL) was significantly negative correlated, i.e. there was a disagreement between the test and the handwriting analysis.
By the rest scales the correlation was statistically insignificant.
Project Team
Marina Riedi, EQ Power, Einsiedeln, Switzerland
Dr. Yury Chernov, IHS Institute for Handwriting Sciences, Zurich, Switzerland