The three kinds of EQ test
They are not interchangeable, and knowing which one you are taking changes how much weight the result deserves.
| Type | How it works | Strength / weakness |
|---|
| Ability (e.g. MSCEIT) | Problems with better and worse answers | Hardest to game; least practical to administer |
| Self-report (most online tests) | You rate your own behaviour | Fast and accessible; measures self-image as much as ability |
| 360-degree (e.g. ESCI) | Colleagues rate you | Most useful for leaders; needs organisational buy-in |
Free online tests, including the one on this site, are self-report. That is the right tool for orientation and the wrong tool for a definitive answer.
The frameworks behind the questions
Goleman’s five domains — self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, social skills. The most widely used model in leadership contexts, and the basis of most workplace tests.
Mayer and Salovey’s four-branch model — perceiving, using, understanding, and managing emotion. The more academically rigorous framework, and the basis of ability-based testing.
Bar-On’s mixed model — broader, incorporating traits like optimism and stress tolerance. Popular in coaching, criticised for overlapping with personality measures.
The disagreement between them is genuine. Ability researchers argue mixed models measure personality with a new label. That debate is unresolved, which is another reason to treat any single score cautiously.
How to get something useful from a free test
- Read the spread, not the total. A gap of more than 20 points between your highest and lowest dimension is far more actionable than the average.
- Answer as you behaved last month, not as you intend to behave. The instinct to answer aspirationally is the main thing that ruins self-report.
- Take it at a normal moment. Scores move with sleep and workload; a reading taken mid-crisis measures the crisis.
- Check it against one other person. Ask someone who works with you to answer three of the questions about you. The divergence is the finding.
What a low score does and does not mean
It does not mean a fixed deficit. Unlike cognitive ability, which is fairly stable in adulthood, the behaviours underlying emotional intelligence respond to deliberate practice — meta-analytic work on EQ training finds moderate gains that persist. What a low score means is that a specific behaviour is currently costing you, and the specific one matters more than the number.
Frequently asked questions
How do you test emotional intelligence?
Three ways. Ability tests such as the MSCEIT pose problems with better and worse answers. Self-report tests, including most free online assessments, ask you to rate your own behaviour. 360-degree instruments collect ratings from colleagues, which is the most useful format for leaders because it captures impact rather than intent.
What is a good EQ score?
Above 70 on a typical 100-point self-report scale indicates strong emotional intelligence across most situations. More useful than the total is the spread between dimensions — a gap over 20 points points at a specific, fixable constraint.
Are free online EQ tests accurate?
They give a reasonable directional read and are considerably less precise than a validated instrument administered by a qualified practitioner. They also measure self-image alongside ability, since you are scoring yourself. Use one to decide where to look, not to settle the question.
Can emotional intelligence be improved?
Yes. The underlying behaviours respond to deliberate practice and feedback, with meta-analytic evidence for moderate durable gains. Meaningful change usually takes months rather than weeks, because the work involves interrupting habits formed over years.