View source for Social intelligence

{{short description|Capacity to know oneself and to know others}}
'''Social intelligence''' ('''SI'''), sometimes referenced as '''social intelligence quotient''' or ('''SQ'''), is the ability to understand one's own and others' actions. Social intelligence is learned and develops from experience with people and learning from success and failures in social settings. It is an important interpersonal skill that helps individuals succeed in all aspects of their lives.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Adler |first=Ronald |title=Communicating at Work |publisher=McGraw-Hill Higher Education |year=2022 |isbn=9781265055738 |edition=13th |location=United States |page=126 |language=en}}</ref>

==History==
The original definition of social intelligence (by [[Edward Thorndike]] in 1920) is "the ability to understand and manage men and women and boys and girls, to act wisely in human relations".<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Thorndike |first1=Edward Lee |title=Intelligence and its uses |url=https://harpers.org/archive/1920/01/intelligence-and-its-uses/ |url-access=subscription|magazine=Harper's Magazine |date=1 January 1920 }}</ref> It is thus equivalent to [[interpersonal intelligence]], one of the types of intelligence identified in [[Howard Gardner]]'s [[theory of multiple intelligences]], and closely related to [[theory of mind]].{{Cn|date=November 2022}}

[[Social scientist]] [[Ross Honeywill]] postulates that social intelligence is an aggregated measure of self- and social-awareness, evolved social beliefs and attitudes, and a capacity and appetite to manage complex social change.{{cn|date=November 2022}} [[Neuropsychology|Neuropsychologist]] [[Nicholas Humphrey]] believes that social intelligence defines who we are as humans.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Humphrey |first=Nicholas |title=Growing Points in Ethology |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1976 |pages=303–317 |language=en}}</ref>

An updated definition coined by [[Nancy Cantor]] and [[John Kihlstrom|John F. Kihlstrom]] in 1987 is “the individual's fund of knowledge about the social world."<ref name=":02">{{Citation |last1=Kihlstrom |first1=John F. |chapter=Social Intelligence |date=2000 |chapter-url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/handbook-of-intelligence/social-intelligence/FF4812446BF342F9B616513CA248FF13|chapter-url-access=subscription |title=Handbook of Intelligence |pages=359–379 |editor-last=Sternberg |editor-first=Robert J. |place=Cambridge |publisher=Cambridge University Press |doi=10.1017/cbo9780511807947.017 |isbn=978-0-521-59648-0 |access-date=2022-10-14 |last2=Cantor |first2=Nancy}}</ref> In 2006 Eleni Andreou described social intelligence as being similar to "social skills and competence".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Andreou |first=Eleni |date=2006 |title=Social Preference, Perceived Popularity and Social Intelligence: Relations to Overt and Relational Aggression |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0143034306067286|url-access=subscription |journal=School Psychology International |language=en |volume=27 |issue=3 |pages=339–351 |doi=10.1177/0143034306067286 |s2cid=142982473 |issn=0143-0343 |via=Sage Journals}}</ref>

Social intelligence and interpersonal intelligence were previously believed to be closely related, however, the subjects diverged into two distinct fields of study.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Walker |first1=Ronald E. |last2=Foley |first2=Jeanne M. |year=1973 |title=Social Intelligence: Its History and Measurement |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.2466/pr0.1973.33.3.839|url-access=subscription |journal=Psychological Reports |language=en |volume=33 |issue=3 |pages=839–864 |doi=10.2466/pr0.1973.33.3.839 |s2cid=144839425 |issn=0033-2941 |via=Sage Journals}}</ref>

Other authors restricted the definition to concern only knowledge of social situations, perhaps more properly called [[social cognition]] (or [[social marketing intelligence]], as it pertains to trending socio-psychological advertising and marketing strategies and tactics). According to Sean Foleno, social intelligence is a person's competence to optimally understand one's environment and react appropriately for socially successful conduct.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=M |first1=Manasa Prasad |last2=Dsouza |first2=Dr Greta |title=Need of Social Intelligence for Future Teachers |journal=Journal of the Gujarat Research Society |date=9 October 2019 |volume=21 |issue=3 |pages=261–265 |url=http://www.gujaratresearchsociety.in/index.php/JGRS/article/view/183 |access-date=5 June 2024 |language=en |issn=0374-8588}}</ref>

These multiple definitions demonstrate a lack of consensus on the operational definition of social intelligence.<ref name=CSIBM>{{cite journal |last1=Grieve |first1=Rachel |last2=Mahar |first2=Doug |title=Can social intelligence be measured? Psychometric properties of the Tromsø Social Intelligence Scale – English Version |journal=The Irish Journal of Psychology |date=1 March 2013 |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=1–12 |doi=10.1080/03033910.2012.737758 }}</ref>

In psychology,  Social Intelligence is a critical subset of human intelligence centered around two core components: '''social awareness and social facility'''.

Social cognition refers to the capacity to understand and empathize with others’ emotions and perspectives, while social facility pertains to the ability to behave effectively in social situations.

==Hypothesis==
The social intelligence hypothesis states that social intelligence (that is, complex socialization such as politics, romance, family relationships, quarrels, collaboration, reciprocity, and altruism):
# Was a driving force in developing the size of human brains or "executive brains"
# Today provides our ability to use those large brains in complex social circumstances.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Holekamp |first=Kay E. |date=2007 |title=Questioning the social intelligence hypothesis |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17188553|url-access=subscription |journal=Trends in Cognitive Sciences |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=65–69 |doi=10.1016/j.tics.2006.11.003 |issn=1364-6613 |pmid=17188553|s2cid=18654268 }}</ref>

This hypothesis claims that the demands of living together drives our need for intelligence, and that social intelligence is an evolutionary adaptation for dealing with highly complex social situations, as well as for gaining and maintaining power in social groups.

Archaeologist [[Steve Mithen]] believes that there are two key evolutionary periods of human brain growth that contextualize the social intelligence hypothesis. The first was about two million years ago, when the brain more than doubled in size. Mithen believes that this growth was because people were living in larger, more complex groups, and had to keep track of more people and relationships. These changes required a greater mental capacity and, in turn, a larger brain size.{{cn|reason=|date=August 2023}}

The second key growth period in human brain size occurred between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, when the brain reached its modern size. While this growth is still not fully explained, Mithen believes that it is related to the evolution of language. [[Language]] may be the most complex cognitive task we undertake.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Federmeier |first1=Kara D. |last2=Jongman |first2=Suzanne R. |last3=Szewczyk |first3=Jakub M. |title=Examining the Role of General Cognitive Skills in Language Processing: A Window Into Complex Cognition |journal=Current Directions in Psychological Science |date=December 2020 |volume=29 |issue=6 |pages=575–582 |doi=10.1177/0963721420964095 |pmid=33584021 |pmc=7877800 }}</ref>{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} Language is related to social intelligence because it is used to mediate [[Social relation|social relationships]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Leonard |first1=Melinda A. |last2=Milich |first2=Richard |last3=Lorch |first3=Elizabeth P. |title=The Role of Pragmatic Language Use in Mediating the Relation Between Hyperactivity and Inattention and Social Skills Problems |journal=Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research |date=April 2011 |volume=54 |issue=2 |pages=567–579 |doi=10.1044/1092-4388(2010/10-0058) |pmid=20719870 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Agha |first1=Asif |title=Language and Social Relations |date=16 November 2006 |doi=10.1017/CBO9780511618284 |isbn=978-0-521-57176-0 }}</ref>

Social intelligence was a critical factor in brain growth. Social and cognitive complexity co-evolve.<ref>{{cite book|first=Benoit|last=Hardy-Vallée|title=The Philosophy of Social Cognition|year=2008}}</ref>{{page needed|date=August 2023}}

==Measurement==
The social intelligence quotient (SQ) is a statistical abstraction, similar to the ‘standard score’ approach used in [[IQ tests]], with a mean of 100. Scores of 140 or above are considered to be very high. Unlike the standard IQ test, it is not a fixed model.<ref name="socialintelligencelab">{{cite web|url=https://socialintelligencelab.com/|title=Social Intelligence Lab|publisher=Social Intelligence Lab|access-date=2012-09-29}}{{Unreliable source?|date=December 2013}}<!--present source is a blog that uses terms in a sloppy way, for instance "quantitative intelligence" - without definition of what that is supposed to be.--></ref>{{better source needed|date=August 2023}} It leans more toward [[Jean Piaget]]'s theory that intelligence is not a fixed attribute, but a complex hierarchy of information-processing skills underlying an adaptive equilibrium between the individual and the environment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/piaget.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103035938/http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/piaget.htm|archive-date=2012-11-03 |title=Piaget's developmental theory |publisher=Learningandteaching.info |date=2010-02-10 |access-date=2012-09-29}}</ref> Therefore, an individual can change their SQ by altering their attitudes and behavior in response to their social environment.<ref name="socialintelligencelab" />

SQ had been measured by techniques such as question and answer sessions. These sessions assessed the person's [[pragmatics|pragmatic]] abilities {{clarify|reason=whose eligibility?|text=to test eligibility in certain special education courses|date=August 2023}}; however, some tests have been developed to measure social intelligence. This test{{Specify|reason=which test?|date=August 2023}} can be used to diagnose [[autism spectrum disorder]]s. This test{{Specify|reason=which test?|date=August 2023}} can also be used to check for some non-autistic or semi-autistic conditions such as [[social communication disorder]] or SCD, [[schizophrenia]], [[dyssemia]], and [[ADHD]].{{cn|date=April 2021}}

Some self-report social intelligence measures exist.{{r|CSIBM}} Although easy to administer, the resulting social intelligence measures might better be interpreted in terms of social [[self-efficacy]] (that is, one's ''confidence'' in one's ability to deal with social information).<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Grieve |first1=Rachel |last2=Witteveen |first2=Kate |last3=Tolan |first3=G. Anne |last4=Jacobson |first4=Brett |title=Development and validation of a measure of cognitive and behavioural social self-efficacy |journal=Personality and Individual Differences |date=1 March 2014 |volume=59 |pages=71–76 |doi=10.1016/j.paid.2013.11.008 }}</ref>

Since people with low SQ scores may not have skills necessary to communicate with customers and/or co-workers, they are most successful with minimal customer interaction, smaller groups, or independent work. People with SQs over 120 are considered socially skilled, and may work exceptionally well in jobs that involve direct contact and communication with other people.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

The George Washington University Social Intelligence Test is one of the only ability measures available for assessing social intelligence. It was created in June 1928 by Dr. Thelma Hunt, a psychologist from George Washington University.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal |last1=Hunt |first1=Thelma |title=The measurement of social intelligence. |journal=Journal of Applied Psychology |date=1928 |volume=12 |issue=3 |pages=317–334 |doi=10.1037/h0075832 }}</ref> It was originally proposed as a measurement of a person's capacity to deal with people and social relationships.<ref name=":1">{{citation |last1=Hunt |first1=T. |last2=Moss |first2=F. A. |last3=Omwake |first3=K. T. |last4=Woodward |first4=L. G. |title=George Washington University Social Intelligence Test – Revised Form, 2nd Edition (GWSIT) |work=Psychology Resources Centre, York University |date=1955 }}</ref> The test assesses social abilities like observing human behavior, social situation judgement, name & face memory, and [[theory of mind]] from facial expressions.<ref name=":0" /> The George Washington University Social Intelligence Test revised second edition consists of these items:<ref name=":1" />
* Observation of human behavior
* Recognition of the mental state of the speaker
* Memory for names and faces
* Judgment in social situations
* Sense of humor

==Differences from intelligence==
Nicholas Humphrey points to a difference between intelligence being measured by [[IQ test]]s and social intelligence.{{cn|reason=|date=August 2023}} Some autistic children are extremely intelligent because they have well-developed skills of observing and memorizing information, however they have low social intelligence. For a long time, the field{{Specify|date=August 2023}} was dominated by [[behaviorism]], that is, the theory that one could understand animals, including humans, just by observing their behavior and finding [[correlation]]s. But subsequent theories argue that one must consider {{clarify|text=the inner structure behavior|date=August 2023}}.<ref name="Honeywill 2015">{{cite book|last=Honeywill|first=Ross|year=2015|quote=Social intelligence is also being able to make important social decisions which can change your life|title=The Man Problem: destructive masculinity in Western culture|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|location=New York}}</ref>

==Additional views==
Social intelligence is closely related to [[cognition]] and [[emotional intelligence]].{{Citation needed|reason=reliable source needed for the whole sentence|date=February 2011}}
Research psychologists studying social cognition and social [[neuroscience]] have discovered many principles in which human social intelligence operates. Psychologists [[Nancy Cantor]] and [[John Kihlstrom]] outlined the kinds of concepts people use to make sense of their social relations (e.g., "What situation am I in?, What kind of person is this?, Who is talking to me?"), the rules they use to draw inferences ("What did he mean by that?") and plan actions ("What am I going to do about it?").<ref>{{Cite web|first1=John F.|last1=Kihlstron|first2=Nancy|last2=Cantor|title=Social Intelligence|url = http://ist-socrates.berkeley.edu/~kihlstrm/social_intelligence.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222142507/http://ist-socrates.berkeley.edu/~kihlstrm/social_intelligence.htm|archive-date=2015-12-22|website=John F. Kihlstrom|access-date = 2015-12-20}}</ref>

More recently, popular science writer [[Daniel Goleman]] has drawn on [[social neuroscience]] research to propose that social intelligence is made up of social awareness (including [[empathy]], attunement, [[empathic accuracy]], and [[social cognition]]) and social facility (including synchrony, [[self-presentation]], [[Social influence|influence]], and concern).<ref name="Goleman2006">{{cite book|last=Goleman|first=Daniel|author-link=Daniel Goleman|title=Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships|publisher=Bantam Books|year=2006|isbn=978-0-553-80352-5|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/socialintelligen00gole}}</ref> Goleman's research indicates that our social relationships effect our physical health, and the deeper the relationship the deeper the impact.{{Explain|reason=what makes an "impact" "deeper"?|date=August 2023}} Effects include blood flow{{Specify|reason=quantity? direction? turbidity?|date=August 2023}}, breathing{{Specify|reason=amount? rapidity? quality?|date=August 2023}}, mood such as fatigue and depression, and weakening of the immune system.<ref name="Goleman2006" />

Researcher Raymond H. Hartjen believes that intelligence is amplified by increased social interactions.{{cn|date=November 2022}} This suggests that children require continuous opportunities for interpersonal experiences in order to develop a keen 'inter-personal psychology'.{{Citation needed|reason=reliable source needed for the whole sentence|date=February 2011}} Traditional classrooms do not permit {{clarify|text=the interaction of complex social behavior|date=August 2023}}. Instead, students in traditional settings are treated as learners who must be infused with more and more complex forms of information. The structure of schools today allows very few of these skills{{Specify|date=August 2023}}, critical for survival in the world, to develop. Because we so limit the development of the skills of "natural psychologist" in traditional schools, graduates enter the job market handicapped to the point of being incapable of surviving on their own.{{Citation needed|reason=reliable source needed for the whole sentence|date=February 2011}} In contrast, students who have had an opportunity to develop their skills in multi-age classrooms with democratic settings rise above their less socially skilled peers. They have a good sense of self, know what they want in life and have the skills to begin their quest.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hartjen|first=Raymond H.|url= http://www.educationfutures.org/Social_IQ.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504090905/http://www.educationfutures.org/Social_IQ.htm|archive-date=2010-05-04|title=The Preeminent Intelligence – Social IQ|access-date=March 5, 2010|website=Beyond the Cutting Edge}}</ref>

J. P. Guilford was the first researcher to approach the problem of social intelligence from the measurement viewpoint.{{dubious|reason=Contradicts what we said about Thelma Hunt's 1928 paper, above.|date=August 2023}} He developed a test of social intelligence, and suggested that the social intelligence is a unit that does not depend on common intellectual factor, but relates to the comprehension of behavioral information.<ref>{{cite book |last= Guilford |first= J. P. |date=1967 |title=The Nature of Human Intelligence |location=New York |publisher=McGraw-Hill |page=538 |author-link=Joy Paul Guilford }}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Society}}
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* [[Civic intelligence]]
* [[Class consciousness]]
* [[Collective consciousness]]
* [[Collective intelligence]]
* [[Consciousness raising]]
* [[Emotional literacy]]
* [[Intelligence quotient]]
* [[Life skills]]
* [[People skills]]
* [[Self awareness]]
* [[Shared intentionality]]
* [[Situational awareness]]
* [[Social conscience]]
* [[Social consciousness]]
* [[Social skills]]
* [[Soft skills]]
}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://socialintelligencelab.com/social-intelligence/ The Social Intelligence Lab]
* [https://www.socialigence.net/blog/ The Social Brain], Social Neuroscience
* [https://www.currents.one/en/ Currents Social Intelligence Engine], Currents Social Intelligence Engine
*{{cite journal
| date =October 23, 2006
| title =Is Social Intelligence More Useful than IQ?
| journal =Talk of the Nation, NPR
| url =https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6368484
}}

{{Virtues}}

[[Category:Intelligence by type]]
[[Category:Interpersonal relationships]]
[[Category:Personality theories]]
[[Category:Life skills]]