Two Perceptions Are Better Than One - New Study Looks At Advantages of Being Self-Aware and Other-Aware

MONTREAL, April 24, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Perceptiveness is like a superpower. Imagine knowing when someone is telling a boldfaced lie based solely on body language, or that a person is untrustworthy just by the "vibes" he or she gives off. Equally amazing is when that sharp insight is turned within - like people who have eerily accurate gut instincts, or who are so strongly connected to their inner self that they can turn off their body's stress signals with just a few deep breaths. According to research conducted by PsychTests.com, people who possess both self and other-awareness are at a major social, emotional, and psychological advantage. However, even just developing one type - specifically, self-awareness - can be beneficial.    

Analyzing data collected from 12,259 people who took the Emotional Intelligence Test, PsychTests' researchers divided subjects into three groups:

> People who have a good understanding of human nature and of themselves (Self & Other-Aware group)
> People who have a good understanding of themselves, but not of other people (Self-Aware group)
> People who have a good understanding of others, but who don't possess internal insight (Other-Aware group).

Here is how the three groups compare on various emotional intelligence competencies: (Scores range on a scale from 0 to 100)

COMFORT WITH EXPRESSING FEELINGS
> Score for Self & Other-Aware group: 62
> Score for Self-Aware group: 56
> Score for Other-Aware group: 35

EMOTIONAL CONTROL
> Score for Self & Other-Aware group: 69
> Score for Self-Aware group: 69
> Score for Other-Aware group: 38

ADAPTABLE SOCIAL SKILLS
> Score for Self & Other-Aware group: 81
> Score for Self-Aware group: 76
> Score for Other-Aware group: 69

CONFLICT-RESOLUTION SKILLS
> Score for Self & Other-Aware group: 82
> Score for Self-Aware group: 67
> Score for Other-Aware group: 69

EMPATHY
> Score for Self & Other-Aware group: 81
> Score for Self-Aware group: 70
> Score for Other-Aware group: 79

ABILITY TO READ BODY LANGUAGE
> Score for Self & Other-Aware group: 77
> Score for Self-Aware group: 68
> Score for Other-Aware group: 76

ABILITY TO SET APPROPRIATE GOALS
> Score for Self & Other-Aware group: 76
> Score for Self-Aware group: 75
> Score for Other-Aware group: 48

SELF-MOTIVATION
> Score for Self & Other-Aware group: 76
> Score for Self-Aware group: 76
> Score for Other-Aware group: 43

RESILIENCE
> Score for Self & Other-Aware group: 83
> Score for Self-Aware group: 83
> Score for Other-Aware group: 52

CONTENTMENT/HAPPINESS
> Score for Self & Other-Aware group: 76
> Score for Self-Aware group: 75
> Score for Other-Aware group: 37

WILLINGNESS TO STRIVE FOR SELF-IMPROVEMENT
> Score for Self & Other-Aware group: 83
> Score for Self-Aware group: 80
> Score for Other-Aware group: 68

SELF-ESTEEM
> Score for Self & Other-Aware group: 81
> Score for Self-Aware group: 82
> Score for Other-Aware group: 39

POSITIVE MINDSET
> Score for Self & Other-Aware group: 79
> Score for Self-Aware group: 78
> Score for Other-Aware group: 42

TENDENCY TO RUMINATE EXCESSIVELY
> Score for Self & Other-Aware group: 33
> Score for Self-Aware group: 30
> Score for Other-Aware group: 73

DESIRE FOR OTHER PEOPLE'S APPROVAL
> Score for Self & Other-Aware group: 24
> Score for Self-Aware group: 23
> Score for Other-Aware group: 53

"Having both self-awareness and social perceptiveness allows you to manage yourself, manage your life, and manage your relationships much more productively," explains Dr. Ilona Jerabek, president of PsychTests. "You're better able to regulate your emotions, manage stress, achieve goals, and deal harmoniously with other people, which boosts life and relationship satisfaction. However, what's clear from our study is that just having self-awareness alone is generally fine, but it would be good to use that insight to better understand other people."

"The nagging question is, why don't people with strong other-awareness turn that sharp insight inwards? We believe it's because it's a lot harder to deal with your own emotional baggage than other people's. Looking inwards means facing your fears, dealing with past hurts, and letting go of regret and guilt…and that's a lot more challenging than dealing with second-hand emotion. So a lot of people distance themselves from their feelings, and look at any emotional situation with cool detachment - but that clearly comes at a cost. Self-awareness is not just about knowing your likes and dislikes. It's about understanding what motivates you and using that knowledge to achieve your goals, why someone upsets you, why you failed at something and what it taught you, what your strengths are, and what you need to work on. If you are not self-aware, you don't truly understand yourself and what you need in order to be happy."

Want to assess your EQ? Check out the Emotional Intelligence Test at https://testyourself.psychtests.com/testid/3979

Professional users, such as HR managers, coaches, and therapists, can request a free demo for this or other assessments from ARCH Profile's extensive battery: http://hrtests.archprofile.com/testdrive_gen_1

To learn more about psychological testing, download this free eBook: http://hrtests.archprofile.com/personality-tests-in-hr

About PsychTests AIM Inc.
PsychTests AIM Inc. originally appeared on the internet scene in 1996. Since its inception, it has become a pre-eminent provider of psychological assessment products and services to human resource personnel, therapists and coaches, academics, researchers and a host of other professionals around the world. PsychTests AIM Inc. staff is comprised of a dedicated team of psychologists, test developers, researchers, statisticians, writers, and artificial intelligence experts (see ARCHProfile.com).

Media Contact

Ilona Jerabek, Ph.D, PsychTests AIM Inc., 5147453189, [email protected]

SOURCE PsychTests AIM Inc.