Measuring EQ

Perhaps the biggest problem with measuring EQ has been that these skills are really about how people behave – what they do and what they say to others. Yet, most of the tests are written and ask people just to say that they thinkthey do!

A common way to measure EQ is by self-reporting. Basically, you answer questions about yourself. Self-reporting has been criticised as having no validity as far as accurately reflecting a person’s behaviours or personality. In fact, most quizzes purporting to measure EI are not validated psychometric tests. They are only very general guides. However, they might serve as useful triggers for reflection about how you behave – or how you think you behave.  

Self-reporting tests provide information about how a person sees themself. Self-report testing is fine if you are interested in how a person self-reports their behaviour – but it is limited without other forms of evidence.

“There seems to be a discrepancy between people’s positive views of themselves and actual outcomes”. That is why it is important to have "reality checks" – ways of checking that what you think about yourself is generally how you are perceived.