What is EQ

• EQ stands for Intelligence Quotient.
• Quotient is originally a mathematics concept, referring to the number obtained by dividing one number by another.
• IQ, standing for Intelligence Quotient, is the measure of a person's cognitive intelligence.
• "EQ" (emotional quotient) was adopted from the term "IQ " (intelligence quotient).
• EQ, Emotional Intelligence, EI, Emotional IQ, Social Intelligence -- These terms are often used interchangeably.
• A high EQ is exhibited by the ability to acknowledge and value feelings in the self and others and to appropriately respond to them, e.g., tolerance, empathy and compassion for others and resilience to bounce back from emotional upsets, such as disappointment, anger, jealousy and fear.
• EQ can be more important than IQ. Smart people, children as well as adults, may not achieve success and happiness in life if they lack of EQ.
• The concept of "Emotional Intelligence" was coined by John Mayer and Peter Salovey in the 1980's.
• Psychologist Danial Goleman's 1995 book "Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ" has brought to the world's attention that it is our emotions, not cognitive skills, that affect our level of relationship satisfaction, health and happiness, and effectiveness in life.

The Measurement of Emotional Intelligence

Bar-On's EQ-I
This oldest EQ instrument was designed to assess those personal qualities that enabled some people to possess better "emotional well-being" than others. It has been used to assess thousands of individuals for more than a decade, with well-established reliability and validity. U.S. Air Force has been reportedly saving 3 million dollars annually since its use of EQ-I to predict recruits' future success on the job.

Multifactor Emotional Intelligence Scale (MEIS)
This is a test of ability rather than a self-report measure. The test-taker performs a series of tasks that are designed to assess the person's ability to perceive, identify, understand, and work with emotion.

Emotional Competence Inventory (ECI)
A "360 degree instrument", with which people who know the individual rate him or her on 20 competencies that Goleman's research suggests are linked to emotional intelligence. About 40% of the ECI items are from an older instrument: the Self-Assessment Questionnaire, developed by Boyatzis.

Seligman Attributional Style Questionnaire (SASQ)
The SASQ measures one specific attribute of emotional intelligence: optimism. Contrary to pessimists, optimists view positive events as the results of their efforts, for which they are proud to take credits, and which affirm their belief in their general capability and success. On the other hand, optimists view a negative event as an isolated occurrence, a fluke; just as often they internalize the good, optimists shrug off the bad.

A Remark on the Tools
In general, when it comes to assessing emotional intelligence, we have some tools with demonstrated reliability and construct and convergent validity. But it will take longer time and further research to establish their predictive validity in work and life situations.