EQ高，竟然可以彌補IQ的不足

Sensitivity 'can boost exam 

results by an entire grade'

Being sensitive can push up children's exam results by

 an entire grade, researchers have found.

 

By Kate Devlin, Medical Correspondent 
Last Updated: 7:55PM GMT 31 Oct 2008

Skills in "emotional intelligence" can make the difference between a B grade and an A among teenagers with the same IQ levels, according to a new study.

Psychologists have long claimed that understanding emotions can help to boost careers, aiding the development of key relationships and an understanding how to impress potential employers.

But the new research suggests that the skill can also improve exam results.

Researchers believe that the reason behind the findings could be that emotional intelligence allows pupils to manage stress more easily and also to understand the long term consequences of doing well at school.

"This finding is particularly exciting because we know that there are things that we can do to improve emotional intelligence in children, such as encouraging them to talk about their feelings and to recognise emotions in others," said Dr Pamela Qualter, from the University of Central Lancashire, who carried out the study.

"What we found was that in girls having a high level of emotional intelligence made the difference between an entire grade, pushing them up for example from a B to an A.

"For boys the same seemed to be happening in most cases, although the results were slightly less clear cut, which could be to do with differing maturity levels of boys at that age."

The researchers tested 628 Year 7 students on their emotional intelligence, including their ability to identify and manage their own emotions and those of others, and their IQ levels.

The results were then compared to the student's results in English Language, English Literature, Maths and Science results in their SAT exams two years later and in their GCSE exams.

"Detailed analysis of the results suggests that emotional intelligence may moderate the effects of IQ on academic achievement," Dr Qualter added.

"Faced with failure, a student low on IQ but who is emotionally intelligent will be able to manage their emotions surrounding failure, reconcile poor performance and work to improve, a student low on IQ and low emotional intelligence may find failure more difficult to deal with, which undermines their academic motivation."

The research also suggests that the Government's recent introduction of "emotional classes" under its social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) program in schools could help not only their future relationships but also their academic progress, she added.

Alan Mortiboys, an expert in emotional intelligence at Birmingham City University, said that students could also benefit from a teacher with a high level of emotional intelligence.

He said: "You can see that teachers who understand pupils emotions and create an atmosphere where they actually want to learn get better results."

Dr Qualter will present her findings to the The British Psychological Society's Education Section Annual Conference in Milton Keynes today (Sat) .

Nansi Ellis (corr), head of education policy and research at Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) union said: "Teachers know intuitively that if you are supporting children to develop personally and emotionally then it will help their learning.

"If you feel secure in yourself you are more able to do things like admit that you don't understand what is being discussed, for instance, and we know that learning itself can be a very emotional process."

She added: "However, it is difficult to know which way the relationship goes.

"If you are already good at school you may feel more happy in yourself and be able to learn better, rather than the other way around."

科學家剛剛發現，EQ高，竟然可以彌補IQ的不足。也就是說，找來同樣IQ的小朋友比一比，其中EQ較高的就能比其他EQ較低的拿到較高的分數，而且研究顯示，這分數不只是「高一點點」，而是從Ｃ到Ｂ，從Ｂ到Ａ，跳了一整個letter grade！這結果在女學生身上尤其明顯，男學生也是如此，只是沒這麼清楚誇張。

這份研究，是在當年找來了628位七年級（初一）的學生，先用問卷考了他們的EQ，然後也考了他們的IQ，然後大費周章的等了兩年，再向主管機關要來這些學生的英文、數學、科學成績，以及他們GCSE的成績等等，結果就發現了上述驚人的結果！

奇怪的是，考試是「一個人的事情」，為何EQ高的學生，在被關在一個地方考試時，也能打敗其他同樣IQ的學生，讓自己提升到可以媲美那些天生聰穎的天才學生？

科學家解釋，背後原因顯然不是因為當場的考試，他們認為，EQ高的學生，平時的「自我掌控力」也會跟著高，他可能可以將壓力處理得好一點。面對壓力時，他可以將他的情緒處理得很好，而考砸的時候，他亦可以坦然面對，並尋求下次再進步！或許EQ高，也讓他視野更寬了一點點，讓他帶著永不氣餒的決心。

這篇研究結果，最高興的應該要是那些家長們，若你的孩子剛好IQ普通普通，卻又希望他念書念得好？不要再買什麼健腦工具、記憶訓練、心算課程了……或許也可從加強孩子的EQ著手，目前已經有很多證明有效的方法，幫助孩子提高EQ，就用這些方法，將孩子訓練成一個EQ高的人，然後學業成績也可以進步。

而，有些被公認為「EQ不錯」的上班族，自己覺得自己EQ高，但是不怎麼樣？現在應該對自己有點信心，你是「好學生」的料，不要再常常將「我很笨，但我人很好」掛在嘴邊謙虛了！