Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Test
Test your emotional intelligence (EQ) with this free assessment. Evaluate your ability to understand emotions, empathize with others, and manage relationships.
What emotional intelligence actually means
Emotional intelligence (EI or EQ) refers to the ability to perceive, understand, manage, and use emotions — both your own and those of others. The concept was popularised by Daniel Goleman in the 1990s, though the underlying research dates to earlier work by Peter Salovey and John Mayer.
EI is typically measured across four abilities: perceiving emotions accurately in faces and voices, using emotions to facilitate thought, understanding how emotions develop and relate to each other, and managing emotions in oneself and others.
EI predicts outcomes in leadership, relationship quality, teamwork, and management of stress. It's more trainable than general cognitive ability — which is why it's a focus of coaching and development programmes.
How to Interpret Your Results
| Score Range | Category | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 0–12 | Developing EQ | Your emotional intelligence is still developing. Focus on self-awareness as a foundation — start noticing and naming your emotions throughout the day. |
| 13–24 | Average EQ | You have average emotional intelligence. You have a basic understanding of emotions but there's room to grow in empathy and emotional regulation. |
| 25–36 | High EQ | You have high emotional intelligence. You're good at understanding and managing emotions, both your own and others'. |
| 37–48 | Exceptional EQ | You have exceptional emotional intelligence. You excel at understanding, managing, and leveraging emotions for positive outcomes. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is EQ more important than IQ?
Both matter in different ways. IQ predicts performance in roles requiring technical complexity. EQ predicts performance in roles requiring leadership, collaboration, and managing people. Most high-performance roles benefit from both.