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SpeakerIntelligence is multifaceted.
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SpeakerWhile we tend to think about smart people as those who are studious and have perfect grades, it turns out there's a lot more to it than that.
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SpeakerIntelligence can range from your ability to create music, play sports, to how you understand yourself, and much more.
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SpeakerAn important type of intelligence in particular is social. Knowing how to work effectively with others while managing and communicating your feelings is extremely important.
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SpeakerBut how can you tell if you're skilled in this area? In this video, we will be looking at some signs of high social intelligence.
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SpeakerWhat is social intelligence?
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SpeakerPsychologist, Dr. Sandeep Atre, an expert on social intelligence, describes it as the ability to observe and interpret people's emotions and nonverbals in communication.
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SpeakerThis means you're able to understand what people are feeling and trying to say, which allows you to communicate effectively with them.
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SpeakerHe states that this leads to greater interpersonal effectiveness and self-management.
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SpeakerSo, now that we know how social intelligence is defined, let's look at how we can identify it.
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SpeakerHigh in emotional intelligence.
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SpeakerAs we mentioned earlier, intelligence comes in several different forms.
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SpeakerOne form is your emotional intelligence, known as EQ, and it is defined by Healthline as the ability to use your emotions constructively.
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SpeakerThis has to do with your capacity to empathize with others, manage your feelings and healthily express your emotions.
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SpeakerAs you know, social intelligence deals with the ability to interpret social situations and act wisely in them.
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SpeakerSo having a high level of EQ will definitely come in handy.
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SpeakerPsychotherapist Amy Morin explains that high EQ influences your ability to act in social situations, especially when strong feelings are involved.
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SpeakerFortunately, emotional intelligence is highly malleable, meaning that even if you have a low EQ, there are ways for you to improve it.
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SpeakerFor example, according to Verywellmind, you can improve EQ by taking time to practice listening to others, empathizing with them, and reflecting on your interactions with them.
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SpeakerUnderstanding how others tick.
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SpeakerCommunication is complicated. There are so many unspoken rules that you can break without knowing, sometimes even without saying anything at all.
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SpeakerPeople with high social intelligence are great at reading the room. They know what words to say and how to use them.
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SpeakerTherapist Amy Morin states that people skilled in this area can seemingly hold a conversation with anyone.
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SpeakerThey're able to skillfully use humor when it's appropriate and make the people around them feel comfortable.
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SpeakerThey can recognize if a person needs more space or engage with someone that's highly talkative.
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SpeakerIf you have a high level of social intelligence, you may notice how you're able to read people and get the best out of them, even if they're not the most social beings in the room.
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SpeakerPeople like talking to you.
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SpeakerOne of the biggest signs that you have high levels of social intelligence is that people enjoy socializing with you.
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SpeakerPerhaps you're someone people can go to and not feel judged or drained by.
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SpeakerPsychologist Dr. Sandeep Atre states that this is especially important when you're in a leadership position.
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SpeakerAfter all, wouldn't you yourself want to work under someone uplifting, understanding and reassuring?
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SpeakerThe people in your life will naturally find ways to be around you more, when you make them feel good.
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SpeakerPerhaps you see people for how they are versus categorizing them into stereotypes.
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SpeakerUltimately, people will pick up on how you treat them, so if you find that people are seeking you out, then you can feel confident in your ability to make people feel comfortable.
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SpeakerAppreciating differences.
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SpeakerHaving high social intelligence allows you to appreciate other people's differences.
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SpeakerWith so many cultures and ways that people interact with others, you may realize that a one-size-fits-all approach will not work.
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SpeakerIt's important to meet people where they're at as everyone has different communication needs.
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SpeakerVerywellmind explains how our experiences growing up give us a specific way of viewing the world that can be easy to project onto others.
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SpeakerSocially intelligent people often understand this and will take the time to learn how to best communicate with different types of people.
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SpeakerOrganizational psychologist Dr. Ronald Riggio states that people high in social intelligence are great at playing different roles.
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SpeakerThey can effectively adapt their communication strategy to other people to get them to feel comfortable.
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SpeakerIf you find yourself appreciative of other people and embracing their differences rather than running from them then you may have high social intelligence.
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SpeakerActive listening.
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SpeakerWe've all walked away from bad conversations before where you can tell that what you're saying is only going in one ear and out the other.
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SpeakerBut think about people you've talked with who genuinely listened to what you had to say. Weren't those much more pleasant?
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SpeakerDr. Ronald Riggio explains that people high in social intelligence listen, not just respond, but to understand the other person.
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SpeakerThis helps them forge a deeper connection as, let's face, it, it feels good to be heard.
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SpeakerWhile not everyone may have this skill, it is something you can develop.
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SpeakerTaking time to listen to others, process what they're saying and ask them questions is a great way to build up this ability and improve your social intelligence.
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SpeakerConflict management.
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SpeakerCan you think of someone in your life that you always have to walk on eggshells around?
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SpeakerHaving high social intelligence makes it easier to navigate the minefield of people's emotions and engage in conflicts without **** into a bigger issue.
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SpeakerDr. Sandeep Atre believes that people high in social intelligence consider multiple factors in a person's behavior.
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SpeakerSomeone who is angry isn't doing so just to be a ****, but there are multiple factors at play that are happening behind the scenes that are making them act out.
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SpeakerSimilarly, having a strong ability to empathize and work social cues allows you to deescalate a situation before it gets out of hand.
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SpeakerHow do you deal with stressful and awkward situations? Conflict is inevitable and impossible to avoid.
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SpeakerHowever, the key is being able to manage a situation so things don't get hairy.
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SpeakerSocial intelligence is just one type of intelligence among a myriad of others.
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SpeakerLike other forms of intelligence, it can be improved over time with practice.
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SpeakerSometimes it takes making some changes in the way you interact with others while other ways may involve you working with a professional.
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SpeakerIn any case, learning how to deal with people is a skill that can continuously be improved upon no matter who you are or where you're at. There's always something you can do to level up.
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SpeakerPlease share your thoughts on this topic in the comment section. What are some ways that you are socially intelligent? How can you improve your skills?
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SpeakerPlease like this video and share it with a friend, and don't forget to subscribe to Psych2Go to keep up with our uploads. Take care.