Psychological Test

Intelligence Quotient (IQ): 

Knowledge is acquiring skills and information through education, experiences and training. These skills acquired make an individual rational and logical, thus able to identify how an incident came to be.

Intelligence quotient is therefore, the measure of one’s ability to apply the knowledge acquired through a test administered that measures their cognitive ability skills.

Intelligence helps individuals do the right thing with the guidance of their knowledge and experiences. The higher the IQ levels, the higher the chances of success of an individual.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ): 

Being able to perceive as well as understand our emotions and those of other people, emotional intelligence helps one build stronger relationships, achieve one’s career goals and even help reduce stress levels and enhance job productivity.

One is also able to connect with their inner feelings, allowing them to make informed decisions that are able to not only meet their needs but also those of the people around them. 

Emotional intelligence increases self-awareness. An individual is able to easily connect what they are feeling and determine how they act. Self-aware individuals also have a high sense of confidence in themselves and their capabilities.

Social Intelligence (SQ): 

Social intelligence refers to the ability of individuals to be aware of themselves and their interactions with other people. Social interactions include mentorship programs. These individuals are highly in tune with their communication and listening skills. They strive to make good impressions with other people and avoid situations that can lead to arguments and misunderstandings. This intelligence helps people become more mindful of those around them, which leads to building networks of friends over long periods of time. They are therefore socially aware of their words and actions and body language when they are communicating with other people. They are aware of their roles in such interactions and accept that they may not align with everyone and that’s fine with them. They are therefore able to self-manage (regulate their behaviors and emotions) accordingly to accommodate the feelings of those around them.

Adversity Intelligence (AQ):

This intelligence refers to the ability to emotionally handle challenging and unpleasant life situations. It helps people go through tough times in life and recover their sense of stability amidst their struggles. To develop this type of intelligence, one is advised to identify their strengths and focus on what they can control. This way one is aware of themselves and what works best for them. In the cases where there are setbacks and challenges, then one is advised to look for alternatives that still conform to their beliefs, without having to lose their true selves.

This intelligence helps build positive resilience to withstand life challenges without considering other harmful alternatives such as self-harm or suicide.

When these four intelligences are not balanced, an individual is likely to encounter challenges such as; dealing with basic knowledge, difficulty in interacting with people or being overly emotional due to increased sensitivity, therefore, easily breaking down during hard times. 

When one develops their IQ but neglects the other types of intelligences, they are likely to experience an imbalance in their lives, since they are only equipped with knowledge but not sufficient enough for them to handle the complexities of life. Therefore, when faced with challenges such as heart breaks, work related stress/ pressures, loss of a loved one, pregnancy or sick parents, they find it difficult to handle such in a healthy manner.

Let’s talk about our childhood upbringing. 

Our parents were brought up during a time where few people were educated. This meant that they treasured education because of the very good jobs that the educated people had. These included being a doctor, teacher, engineer etc. They ensured their children got education regardless of their financial situations, telling them to go to school, work hard, and get a good job with a guarantee of being happy in the future. So we, as children, hoped for happiness from good jobs with more money.

Throughout the education system, knowledge intelligence was greatly nurtured and improved whereas; other intelligences were not given as much emphasis. This created great scholars, people who were more enlightened and new courses were developed. It also brought about great exposure as people traveled to more developed countries to further their studies.

People with low emotional intelligence, have poor management of their thoughts and feelings. They are easily triggered by minor issues which take up most of their energy and focus, easily pick fights with others, and are unable to control their impulses and reactions. They are thus easily avoided by those close to them due their emotional instability. These people rarely acknowledge when they are at fault and may even blame others for their reactions. Such persons also avoid being vulnerable in front of people as they learnt from childhood to keep to themselves and avoid speaking up when facing challenges , so they end up suffering in silence. They grow up believing that crying is a sign of weakness and may also become aggressive upon rejection.

When emotional Intelligence is well nurtured, the person connects with their emotional side as a whole. They are able to identify areas of their lives that need to be improved on and therefore, seek the necessary assistance from the appropriate people and resources. 

The nurturing of social intelligence however, starts by social interactions that people build when they are growing up with adjustments as one progresses in life.

Today such forums are minimal or don’t exist at all. This has resulted in people developing a new culture of socializing such as, the use of social media, where people communicate through the use of text messages and phone calls. With the advancement of the internet, others get to see each other through virtual means such as using skype and other forms of video call, in place of the actual physical meetups. It therefore, becomes a challenge to observe and learn from each other as people purely rely on what their ‘internet’ friends portray themselves to be. 

Therefore, looking at you as an individual, what intelligence are you lacking?

Knowledge Intelligence (IQ)   Social Intelligence (SQ)

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) or Adversity Intelligence (AQ)

A man of high knowledge intelligence can end up being employed by a man of high emotional and social intelligence, even though he has an average knowledge intelligence score. Why? You’d ask. This is because emotional intelligence represents an individual’s character, while social intelligence represents their self-image and impression. Therefore, these qualities and more, presented in front of an interviewer, distinguish these two people. Hence make one a better manager than the other. Example is where a C student employs an A student. It is safe to conclude therefore, that there is a higher success rate among people with a higher emotional intelligence compared to people who are only equipped with just knowledge.

Academic intelligence has little to do with success in life. For instance, people with a high IQ can be stunningly poor pilots of their private lives. Relying on information alone without incorporating other qualities, e.g. critical thinking, effective communication, team work to name but a few, can make a good manager an incompetent one. 

Starting habits that will improve these four Qs with emphasis on your emotional and social Intelligence, will lead to growth. This can be through being in touch with yourself and your emotions. Being aware of oneself means that you are able to listen to your body when in different moods and learn how to control your impulses. Learning how to control our anger, for example, saves us so much distress and those around us won’t have to experience projection of our own emotions toward them. So, being self-aware and mindful of others brings coexistence and peace within us.

At best, IQ contributes about 20 percent to the factors that determine life success, which leaves 80 percent to other forces such as; being able to motivate oneself and persist in the face of frustrations, controlling impulses and delay gratification, regulating of one’s moods which keeps distress from swamping one’s ability to think and finally the ability to empathize and give hope.

CHOLERIC
• Choleric are born leaders with a commanding personality.
• They are full of youthful energy even when they are in advanced age.
• Choleric are extroverted, social, talkative, outgoing, confident and fearless.
• They are strong willed, quick, active, and practical.
• They are excellent organizers and excel in emergencies and difficult situation.
— They want authority, prestige, freedom, varied activities, difficulty assignment and challenges
Choleric weakness
• A know it-all attitude.
• They can be dictatorial, bossy, too demanding and intolerant.
• They can be rude, arrogant and sarcastic.
• They are poor listeners.
• They have the least developed emotions, they show little sympathy or compassion.
• They are disgusted by tears of others and they are insensitive to people’s needs.

SANGUINE
• Sanguine are extroverts: Warm, out going, social and very talkative.
• They think very fast and words tends to tumble out of their mouths.
• They genuinely love people hence make friends very easily.
• Sanguine are very popular with both the old and the young.
• They have a good personality and they physically hold into their listener.
• They are talented orators.
• They have an incredible power to convince and influence
• They are compassionate and cry easily
— Interactive, wants people to talk to,
— Wants social recognition and popularity
SANGUINE WEAKNESS
• They have poor memory especially for names.
• Sanguine are not keen in making follow –ups.
• Sanguine’s number one sin is lying.
• They are a restless personality who hate routine and convention.
• Sanguine can be immature and offensive, often interrupting others when talking.
• They often start many projects and abandon them halfway.
• Their basic motivator is having people around them as they do not like being alone.

MELANCHOLIC
• Melancholic are perfectionist who want things done perfectly.
• They are gifted with high intelligent Quotient (IQ)
• Melancholic are very good organizers and smart.
• They dress smartly and always keep their homes, offices and desks neat.
• They are keen to obey authority.
• Melancholic are good at strategic planning and organizing
• They go out of their way to avoid hurting other people.
— They are competent
— They want evidence and accuracy
— They dislike sudden changes
— They want an exact job description
— They like a controlled work environment
Weakness of Melancholic
— They are overly analytical which makes them reluctant to start new projects.
— They can be too pessimistic, too rigid and too cautious to take action.
— They can be excessively thorough.
— Consequently they can be easily bogged down and depressed when standards are not met and things are not going on well.

PHLEGMATIC PERSONALITY
• Introverted – they are the easiest people to get a long with.
• They are peace makers.
• They are easy-going, calm, composed, slow to anger and likeable.
• They genuinely like and respect people for who they are.
• They do not interfere in the affairs of people unless invited.
• They are diplomatic which makes them good mediators.
• They have incredible ability to conceal their emotions.
• They are competent, practical, reliable, supportive, and stable
— Wants status quo maintained
— They are security conscious

— Wants to know the risk involved
PHLEGMATIC WEAKNESS
— They are risk averse.
— Consequently they rarely invest due to fear of making loses.
— Because they are concerned about security they tend to remain in one job for a long time.
— They can be too accommodating and naïve giving others a chance to take advantage on them

Why does personality affect health?
Your personality guides your behaviors and habits, and both play a big part in your overall health. The way you handle stress, your activity level, how often you socialize or see your doctor — all of these things are affected by your personality traits, starting early on.

Studies have shown that certain traits in childhood — being agreeable, conscientious, intelligent or imaginative — can influence health later in life. Children who have these traits tend to be more educated, adopt healthy eating habits, don’t smoke and live longer.

Here are 13 personality traits that may affect your health
Type A or Type B
Type A people tend to be driven, hardworking and results-oriented. This ambitious streak can lead to personal and professional success, but it may also create stress or social isolation, which puts people at a higher risk of heart disease.

Type B people tend to be laid back, doing things for enjoyment rather than out of a desire to achieve. Type B people are good at coping with stress and anxiety, which can lead to better heart health. On the other hand, being so relaxed may also mean taking a less proactive approach to health or work.

The terms “Type A” and “Type B” actually come from a 1950s study in which a cardiologist noticed a connection between certain traits and heart problems. Today, experts say we should think of ourselves less as one type or the other and more as somewhere on a spectrum between them.

Optimistic
Optimists, or people who “look on the bright side,” tend to give themselves credit for achievements and assume good things will last. Optimists often cope better with disease, trying to find humor in tough situations. Optimism can lower blood pressure and risk of heart attack, which makes people healthier and helps them live longer. On the other hand, being overly optimistic can leave people unprepared for tough situations and make them less capable of honestly assessing risks and rewards.

Pessimistic
Pessimists often blame themselves for negative outcomes and feel like bad things will go on forever, which creates stress. Studies have shown that highly pessimistic people are more likely to develop high blood pressure and heart disease and may not live as long. On the other hand, research shows that when people expect the worst, they might also be more careful, which could lead to fewer accidents or illnesses, and they are often better prepared to cope with challenging situations.

Extroverted
People who are social and outgoing may have stronger immune systems. Scientists aren’t sure why, but extroverts’ bodies tend to react more quickly to inflammation, which may help prevent infection. Another theory is that extroverts are more likely to put themselves in stressful situations, so their immune systems are more engaged in protecting their bodies. Extroverts may also be more willing to seek medical help when they need it.

Introverted
Social support is a big factor in developing healthy behaviors and coping skills. Introverts — people who are typically quiet, reserved, and introspective — may be slower to seek medical help when they need it, particularly for mental health issues. However, introverts also enjoy examining their own thoughts, which can make them more self-aware and satisfied.

Impulsive
Impulsive people act on their whims, often without considering the consequences. This can lead to unhealthy behaviors, including substance abuse or compulsive activities such as gambling. Impulsive people also tend to be spontaneous, creative, bold and courageous. Successful impulsive people learn how to recognize and foster good impulses and resist bad ones.

Addictive
While having an “addictive personality” is not a real psychiatric diagnosis, addiction is a real disease that affects up to 400,000 Tennesseans. People who suffer from addiction are often risk-takers in some capacity, though there is no one personality trait that predicts who will become addicted to substances and who won’t. What we do know is:

Genes are responsible for about half the likelihood a person will become addicted
People who have one addiction are more likely to have another
When it comes to substance abuse, addictive thinking involves blaming things on other people, self-centeredness, impatience, and repetition of the behavior. Addicts believe they are in control of something when other the people in their lives can clearly see that they are not. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, click here.
Narcissistic
Narcissists are people who admire themselves excessively, or think the world revolves around them. That can have negative health implications, especially for men. Narcissistic men — those who take advantage of others and feel they deserve special treatment — are more likely to have health issues such as heart problems. Experts think this may be due to high levels of the stress-related chemical cortisol in their system.

Neurotic
People who have neuroticism often experience anxiety, self-doubt, depression and shyness. All people are neurotic to some degree, but those who have strong neuroticism may experience mood disorders, loneliness and self-consciousness. On the other hand, neurotic people are also good at planning ahead and are often successful at work.

Conscientious
People who are conscientious — those who do things carefully, well and thoroughly — tend to eat well and exercise, are less likely to abuse substances, and generally live longer. Conscientious people are high-achieving, dependable, and likely to be in stable relationships, which improves health. However, conscientious people may be more susceptible to illness. Scientists aren’t sure why, but some believe children with weaker immune systems may subconsciously become more cautious to protect themselves, and that personality trait can continue into adulthood.

Agreeable
Agreeable people are thoughtful, compassionate and social. They are dedicated to resolving confrontations, which makes them happy and well-adjusted. Agreeable people are also accommodating, so they may be more likely to follow their doctor’s orders, which is good for their health. However people-pleasers may also feel hopeless in the face of difficult health situations, and they may be less likely to get help when something is wrong because they don’t want to be a burden. They may also let problems fester rather than addressing them head-on in order to avoid confrontation, which can lead to increased anxiety.

Resilient
Resiliency may be a new term for some people, but it’s something the medical community has long valued. Being resilient means adapting well to adversity, trauma, tragedy or stress. People who are resilient are also often curious, sociable, and cooperative. Resilient people are more likely to exercise, stay engaged with people and with the world, and enjoy exercising their brain, which keeps them mentally sharp.

Some people are born resilient, and some learn the skill from parents or other caring adults. The good news: it’s never too late to become more resilient. Click here to learn how.

There are three types of self-esteem;

Low self-esteem

This is a negative perception towards oneself. This individual feels like there is nothing good about them and often experiences challenges pointing out what it is that they are good at. 

Characteristics of such individuals include;

• They are less confident and are afraid of making mistakes.
• They lack communication and socializing skills thus, shy away from the public.
• They struggle with loving and accepting themselves.
• They lack personal healthy boundaries and are easily influenced or swayed by others.
• They criticize themselves easily when things don’t go as expected.
•  They are negative about life and complain too much.
• They feel insecure about their shortcomings e.g. appearance thus, hide their emotions from others.

A person who has less confidence in him/herself normally tends to display traits such as;

• Hating oneself or feeling angry and frustrated about who they are.
• Being obsessed with being perfect.
• Hating their body’s physique.
• Feeling worthless.
• Being overly sensitive.
• Feeling anxious and fearful.
• Constantly feeling angry.
• Trying to be a people pleaser and struggling with setting and maintaining boundaries.

Good self-esteem (high self-esteem)

This is a positive regard towards oneself. These individuals have accepted themselves; their abilities as well as shortcomings. They are aware that they don’t need external validation from others to feel good. 

Characteristics of these individuals;

• High confidence in themselves and their abilities.
• They have built healthy boundaries.
• They are positive and embrace change.
• They take up responsibilities.
• They are self-aware and self-driven.
• They accept criticism as learning points.
• They don’t take things personally, especially people’s opinions.
• They respect other people’s opinions.
• They take care of their bodies by having healthy meals and exercising.

Persons with a high self-esteem have values and principles that guide their behaviors. You’ll find that most leadership positions are given to people with confidence and who carry themselves in an admirable manner

Medium self esteem

This is esteem where one experiences a fluctuation of feelings of both approval and rejection. Individuals as well as children with medium self-esteem aren’t confident about themselves and their decision making skills as they may experience feelings of worry that others may judge them. They do have certain qualities that they like about themselves but they also have flaws and weaknesses that they often don’t feel proud of.

characteristics of medium self-esteem

• They are able to act according to what they think is the best choice, even when others tell them they are wrong.
• They tend not to worry too much about what they did in the past or about what will happen in the future, but they learn from both to improve little by little.
• They rely on their ability to solve problems, even after being wrong a few times. Even so, they are also able to ask for help when they need it.
• They are considered equally valid as the rest, and they think that they are interesting people and that they contribute something to others.
• They avoid being manipulated and only collaborate with someone if it seems appropriate or gives them something.

Excessively High self – esteem ( Exaggerated esteem)

People with overly high self-esteem are arrogant, self-indulgent and express feelings of entitlement. They tend to overlook their own flaws and criticize others. 

Most people can be overconfident in themselves, leading to bad relations with others. Below are some of their characteristics;

characteristics;

• Arrogance – Undermines other people due to their upbringing. 
• Cockiness- Being too confident about yourself, in a way that annoys the people around you.
• Expressing entitlement feelings.
•  Overlook their own flaws and
•  Criticizes others
• Suffer superiority complex -Pushing people away as they see you are too perfect
• Self-indulgent (focuses on self)  and self- centeredness (preoccupied with themselves and own beliefs).
• Scare people away unaware through their choice of words and even behavior.

How can we overcome low self-esteem?

As stated earlier, esteem is not in-born. Therefore, certain practices can help develop a high sense of confidence. This starts with prioritizing our own needs. What do I mean?

Prioritizing how we feel is important because we are able to communicate with ourselves and able to identify what our body and the subconscious is trying to tell us. Once we identify our needs, we take the necessary actions to ‘feed’ our bodies. Those with a high self-esteem don’t find challenges in going about this since they are in tune with themselves. They are aware of what works for them and what doesn’t.

Those struggling with loving and accepting themselves therefore, can practice acts of mindfulness, which is the practice of bringing to attention what it is that you are going through without judging yourself. This practice helps you accept yourself at the moment and what you are capable of handling. It helps you learn how to trust yourself which is very important in building confidence.

There are a number of other factors one can use to build on their confidence;

Simple steps you can take to help build your confidence levels;

• Practice mindfulness
• Change your story
• Don’t compare yourself to others
• Channel that inner rock star
• Move your body more
• Volunteer and take up roles
• Practice forgiveness
• Realize that you are not your circumstances

Interestingly, according to psychologists, some individuals with esteem issues use various means to project how they truly feel on the inside. Some use humor to make others feel bad about themselves. Belittling others gives them a sense of fulfillment since they also feel the same way. This is a projection of their insecurities toward others.

Advantages of developing self-esteem

• Gives an individual a sense of purpose- i.e a reason for what we do.
• Positive outlook on life and self- leading to more appreciation of self and life itself.
• Realistic approach to situations and people- therefore, it becomes easy to navigate life.
• Value of self- i.e you are able to love and acknowledge your own worth.
• Improves communication skills.
• Ability to form relationships- as well as friendships with not just yourself but those around you.
• Ability to take on challenges- challenges make us more resilient and improve our abilities as well as helps us learn more from the world.
•  Builds resilience- some situations toughen us up which in the long run proves to be worth it.
•  High Motivation which leads to a drive for success- this sense of confidence in our own abilities builds an internal pressure that pushes us to make ourselves better thus we become motivated and work according to our needs.

Disadvantages of excessive/exaggerated self-esteem.

• Overconfidence.
• Affects performance
• The Pretense of humility
• Emotional instability/ problems
• Delusional- being in a state of having faulty judgment about the reality of self or the world.
• Lack of Confidence
• Poor Academic performance
• Substance abuse
• Affects career
• Emotional and mental health problems.

Importance of Self-Esteem

• Able to make informed decisions.
• Improved relationships and friendships.
• Helps improve one’s emotional and mental health and status.
• Leads to the overall well-being of an individual due.

People with healthy self-esteem and a positive view of themselves recognize their potential and may feel more inspired to take on new challenges than those with low self-esteem.

HOW TO BUILD SELF ESTEEM IN BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS.

There are various ways of building and improving self-esteem as mentioned below;

• Practicing acts of mindfulness
• Use of kind words.
• Encouragement.
• Telling them the good you see in them.
• Noticing when they try new things or learn to do something.
• Helping them build a positive and healthy “inner voice”.
• Being patient with yourself and others
• Listening to them.
• Speaking to them respectfully.
• Giving them appropriate attention and affection.
• Acknowledging and accepting their mistakes or failures.

What is the connection between self-esteem and self-confidence?

Self-confidence is having belief and trust in your own ability to do something. Someone who is self-confident can rise to the challenge and seize new opportunities. For example, feeling confident about your work as a skilled chef.

Self-esteem, as we have seen, has to do with your emotional appraisal of your own worth. This feeling can develop over a lifetime, causing a multitude of problems, from bad relationships to feeling belittled by people.

People with a sense of high confidence, have not only accepted themselves but have also gained a form of control over their lives. This is because they are fully aware of what they are good at and they know how to adjust without losing control.

It should be noted that, one can have confidence in themselves and their abilities, but still lack the belief in themselves (self-esteem).

Characteristics of individuals with self-confidence:

1. Experience less fear and anxiety 

If you’ve ever suffered low confidence, you’re probably familiar with rumination – or the tendency to replay mistakes over and over in your head until you experience anxiety and even depression. By increasing your confidence you’ll be able to break the cycle of overthinking and quiet your inner critic.

2. Increases in motivation 

When you talk about a past accomplishment, it gives you the confidence to take steps toward your goals. If you think about a past success you will likely find that it took a lot of perseverance. If you could triumph over adversity then, why can’t you do it again? You can! As your confidence grows, you will become more likely to stretch your abilities and take risks. Sure, you may still be afraid and unsure, but you act anyway, feeling energized as you go for goals that are important to you.

3. More resilience 

Having high confidence doesn’t mean that you won’t fail. You will, and you may even fail a lot. But, you’ll know you can handle challenges that come your way and you won’t be frozen with fear because you’ll understand that even when things don’t go our way you can handle it. As you continue to push yourself to try new things you’ll realize that failure and mistakes lead to growth. The more willing to fail you are, the more likely you are to succeed because you’re in action – you’re taking more shots instead of waiting for the perfect play.

4. Improve in relationships

When you have more self-confidence, you are less focused on yourself and you’re able to avoid the comparison game. As a result, you’ll be more relaxed and so will the people around you. Imagine what it would be like to be fully present and in the moment, instead of wondering what everyone is thinking about you. Newsflash, when you have self-confidence you understand that 

People aren’t focused on you, they’re focused on themselves.That way you are able to give the best in relationships without feeling insufficient.

5. You become authentic

Confidence means that you understand that your weaknesses don’t change your self-worth. When your actions are in alignment with your values you have a stronger sense of purpose. When you know who you are and what you stand for you have the courage to speak up for what you believe in. Now go out there and shine on!

How you feel on the inside can greatly impact one’s daily activities. Who you are should never be dependent on anyone’s expectations, because then you become limited in what you can and can’t do. It is therefore very important to be observant of ourselves and the environment one is in so as to learn how different stimuli make us feel. Once you learn how you feel then you are able to create boundaries to protect yourself from that which feels threatening to your principles and values.

We should therefore, not let our environment, which mainly consists of family, friends, and workforce (colleagues), religion and the society in general, dictate how we perceive ourselves. Allowing the world to consume us will only lead to suffocation and increase in stress levels, leaving no room for us to exercise self-love practices that would, on the other hand, help us build more on ourselves and improve our lives.

A strong self-esteem creates a type of self-fulfilling prophecy. The more you like yourself, the more you begin to carry yourself in a likable manner. Also the more you believe that you are able to achieve something, the more likely it is that you will actually achieve it. This is because your behaviors and actions will start to align with your thoughts which lead to the desired outcome.

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