What This Test Measures
Emotional intelligence, often shortened to EQ, is the ability to notice, understand and manage emotions, both your own and other people’s. This test scores you on the five parts described in Daniel Goleman’s popular model.
| Part | The question it answers | Looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Self-awareness | Do you know what you feel and why? | Naming emotions, knowing your triggers |
| Self-management | Can you handle your emotions? | Staying calm, thinking before reacting |
| Motivation | Do you drive yourself forward? | Persistence, optimism after setbacks |
| Empathy | Can you read and understand others? | Noticing moods, listening well |
| Social skills | Can you manage relationships? | Resolving conflict, giving feedback |
Instead of one EQ number, you get a score and a personal reading for each part, because most people are strong in some and still developing in others.
How The Test Works And How It Is Scored
You rate 30 statements, six for each part, from “Strongly disagree” to “Strongly agree”. Two statements in each part are reversed. For example, agreeing with “I say things in anger that I later regret” lowers your self-management score.
Each answer is worth 0 to 4 points. We turn each part’s total into a percentage:
| Score on a part | Reading |
|---|---|
| 60% and above | High: a clear strength |
| 41% to 59% | Average: solid, with room to grow |
| 40% and below | Low: the best place to focus |
Sample statement (Empathy): “I listen fully to people without planning my reply.” Strong agreement adds 4 points to your empathy score.
All statements and readings were written by PrismaTest for this test.
The Model Behind It
Psychologists Peter Salovey and John Mayer introduced the scientific idea of emotional intelligence in 1990. They defined it as the ability to perceive, use, understand and manage emotions. Science journalist Daniel Goleman made the term famous with his 1995 book Emotional Intelligence, and he organised it into the five parts this test uses, adding motivation and social skills.
What The Research Says
Researchers measure emotional intelligence in two main ways:
- Ability tests, such as the MSCEIT, set emotional problems with right and wrong answers, a bit like an IQ test.
- Self-report tests, like this one, ask how you see your own emotional habits.
Self-report EQ overlaps a lot with personality traits such as emotional stability, agreeableness and extraversion. That does not make it meaningless; it describes real habits that matter. But it means your score reflects how you see yourself, which may differ from how others see you. Some popular claims, such as EQ mattering “twice as much as IQ” for success, go well beyond the evidence. Research does link higher emotional intelligence with better relationships, wellbeing and some aspects of job performance.
The good news is that emotional skills can be learned. Studies of training programmes show modest but real improvements.
How To Read Your Result
- Start with your lowest part. It is where a small change will make the biggest difference.
- Look for links. Low self-awareness often explains low self-management: it is hard to calm a feeling you have not noticed.
- Ask for a second opinion. Ask a trusted friend or colleague how they would rate you on each part. Gaps between your view and theirs are valuable information.
- Retest in a few months after practising one skill.
Simple Ways To Build Each Part
- Self-awareness: write one word for your mood at the same time each day.
- Self-management: take one slow breath before replying to anything that annoys you.
- Motivation: break goals into steps small enough to finish this week.
- Empathy: ask one follow-up question before giving your opinion.
- Social skills: practise starting feedback with what is working.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good emotional intelligence score?
There is no single pass mark. On this test, 60% or more on a part is a strength. Most people have a mix of high and average scores.
Can you improve your emotional intelligence?
Yes. Unlike some traits, emotional skills respond well to practice, feedback and coaching.
Is EQ more important than IQ?
They measure different things. IQ predicts performance on reasoning tasks; emotional intelligence relates to relationships and handling stress. Both matter, and claims that one matters far more than the other are overstated.
How accurate is a free EQ test?
A self-report test shows how you see yourself, which is useful but limited. For a fuller picture, compare your results with feedback from people who know you.
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For self-reflection only. This is not a psychological assessment. See how we build our tests.