Social intelligence, defined as the ability to act wisely in human relationships, is difficult to measure accurately. The George Washington Social Intelligence Test and Vineland Social Maturity Scale are flawed. Social intelligence encompasses social sensitivity, social insight, and social communications. Daniel Goleman’s book, Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships, explores the connection between social interactions and health.
According to the psychologist EL Thorndike, who founded the study of social intelligence, the term should be defined as the ability to “act wisely in human relationships”. Thorndike felt that it was not really possible to measure this type of intelligence, unlike abstract intelligence or rote intelligence. Other psychologists, however, disagreed with this assessment.
There are several methods of testing this form of intelligence, including the George Washington Social Intelligence Test (GWSIT). The GWSIT, however, was found unable to measure it accurately due to its heavy reliance on words and expressions. Consequently, the test is more appropriate for measuring abstract intelligence. Another test is the Vineland Social Maturity Scale, which measures intelligence by social or mental age and social quotient, which is intelligence determined by social age divided by chronological age. The weakness of this test is that it takes into account irrelevant factors, such as motor skills and language skills, which cloud the measurement.
The difficulty in accurately deciphering social intelligence through testing is due to the many components it encompasses. A model consists of three components: social sensitivity, the inferences a person makes during socialization, and the role one plays within a group; social insight, including social understanding, psychological insight, and moral judgment; and social communications, including social problem solving. Many other models and theories have also been suggested.
In a book called Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships, Daniel Goleman explores the connection between people’s social interactions and their health. He works out a brain-to-brain link that encourages humans to connect with one another. According to this theory, a good relationship might have the ability to fortify the body’s immune system, while a stressful relationship might cause digestive problems. Such a link may further elucidate the mechanisms involved in a teacher inspiring her students or the bond between a mother and daughter.
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