<p>These are the best words I could find using the atlas of personality, emotion and behaviour (Mobbs, 2020).</p>

<ul>
<li><p><strong>being able to recognize and name one's emotions</strong>: self-aware, self-observant, reflective, contemplative.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>being able to recognize and name other people's emotions</strong>: empathic, compassionate, understanding, sensitive, sympathetic.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>being able to understand the root cause of certain emotions</strong>: wise, perceptive, insightful, discerning, astute.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>being able to keep calm in the middle of strong emotions</strong>: self-governing, self-restrained, temperate, level-headed, dispassionate, balanced.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Mobbs AED (2020) An atlas of personality, emotion and behaviour. PLoS ONE 15(1): e0227877. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0227877" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0227877</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-03T00:03:58.890Z
2020-06-03T00:03:58.890Z
Tony Mobbs
<p>Well, you address things that are being addressed by different adjectives, in this combination contradicting in some of their other meanings.</p>

<p>If I should provide a list of common words for every trait you have described:</p>

<ol>
<li>Sincere, honest (as of not being afraid to admit the emotions), self-aware (as of understanding what's going on inside)</li>
<li>Sensitive (feeling with others), empathetic, solicitous (caring for other people)</li>
<li><em>Here I'm a bit lost but:</em> Insightful (a person that generally <em>understads</em>, but needs a context specification as it could as well apply to a mechanic and machines), wise (a general word for somebody with experience and the ability to use it).</li>
<li>Calm, wise (again, universal word that fits any context)... <em>Well anything you'd call Obi Wan Kenobi</em></li>
</ol>

<p>Now some of the therms might probably sound contradicting if used together. For example a <em>sensitive</em> person is not expected to withstand strong emotions calmly.</p>

<p>However these are just words I thought up. I'm not native English speaker so you only get the words that are frequently used.</p>

<p>I don't see what do all these words have to do with Cognitive sciences. I think this should get moved on English.SE. In that case I hope my answer gets deleted as native English speakers would downvote the hell out of me.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-27T16:50:03.690Z
I think you provide a good set of words, however some of them can be ambiguous, as you point  "a sensitive person is not expected to withstand strong emotions calmly". In Emotional Intelligence there would be no restriction for a person to recognize other people emotions and withstand strong emotions. Another example is the word wise, without any detailed context it could mean a lot of things, including the 4 points mentioned in the question.
German Florez
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-27T21:19:25.143Z
Well, as you phrased the question, this is the answer. Adjectives tend to be ambiguous.
Tomáš Zato
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-24T21:15:37.677Z
2014-11-24T21:15:37.677Z
Tomáš Zato
<p>After reading the book Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, I'm having a difficult time comparing emotional intelligence (EQ) with Intelligence Quotient (IQ).</p>

<p>When talking about someone's IQ we use adjectives as: intelligent, genius, fool, stupid, brilliant, etc.</p>

<p>What adjectives can we use to describe the competences of:</p>

<ul>
<li>being able to recognize and name one's emotions</li>
<li>being able to recognize and name other people's emotions</li>
<li>being able to understand the root cause of certain emotions</li>
<li>being able to keep calm in the middle of strong emotions</li>
</ul>

<p>Note: I'm not really sure if this question belongs to Cognitive Science Stack Exchange, if not please point me in the right direction.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-18T17:32:23.283Z
While it's a gray are whether this belongs here or on [english.SE](https://english.stackexchange.com/), I upvoted because I think that knowledge in the area of cognitive sciences is of benefit to the question.
Seanny123
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-19T01:28:47.877Z
Words like empathy, self awareness and self control come to mind. Do these have adjective form? Maybe a synonym search would help. When describing emotional intelligence I used "emotionally intelligent" in the past.
Alex Stone
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-24T20:22:43.277Z
Fool has much a wider meaning than the one regarding IQ (smart person can be fooled by a dumb one and I observe this often). Not talking about brilliant which is actually a mineral.
Tomáš Zato
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-26T05:43:46.400Z
Some suggestions: empathic, warm, kind, personable, sociable, gregarious, amiable, affable
Artem Kaznatcheev
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-05-04T21:20:25.760Z
Perhaps the word "acute"? I'm also having the exact same dilemma!
Yon Yones
<emotion>
What adjectives can be used to describe emotional intelligence competences?
German Florez
# What adjectives can be used to describe emotional intelligence competences?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-11-18)

After reading the book Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, I'm having a difficult time comparing emotional intelligence (EQ) with Intelligence Quotient (IQ).

When talking about someone's IQ we use adjectives as: intelligent, genius, fool, stupid, brilliant, etc.

What adjectives can we use to describe the competences of:

* being able to recognize and name one's emotions
* being able to recognize and name other people's emotions
* being able to understand the root cause of certain emotions
* being able to keep calm in the middle of strong emotions

Note: I'm not really sure if this question belongs to Cognitive Science Stack Exchange, if not please point me in the right direction.

Thanks

**Tags:** emotion

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: While it's a gray are whether this belongs here or on [english.SE](https://english.stackexchange.com/), I upvoted because I think that knowledge in the area of cognitive sciences is of benefit to the question.  
> **username_2**: Words like empathy, self awareness and self control come to mind. Do these have adjective form? Maybe a synonym search would help. When describing emotional intelligence I used "emotionally intelligent" in the past.  
> **username_3**: Fool has much a wider meaning than the one regarding IQ (smart person can be fooled by a dumb one and I observe this often). Not talking about brilliant which is actually a mineral.  
> **username_4**: Some suggestions: empathic, warm, kind, personable, sociable, gregarious, amiable, affable  
> **username_5**: Perhaps the word "acute"? I'm also having the exact same dilemma!  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2020-06-03. Score: 3

These are the best words I could find using the atlas of personality, emotion and behaviour (Mobbs, 2020).

* **being able to recognize and name one's emotions**: self-aware, self-observant, reflective, contemplative.
* **being able to recognize and name other people's emotions**: empathic, compassionate, understanding, sensitive, sympathetic.
* **being able to understand the root cause of certain emotions**: wise, perceptive, insightful, discerning, astute.
* **being able to keep calm in the middle of strong emotions**: self-governing, self-restrained, temperate, level-headed, dispassionate, balanced.

Mobbs AED (2020) An atlas of personality, emotion and behaviour. PLoS ONE 15(1): e0227877. <https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0227877>


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-11-24. Score: -1

Well, you address things that are being addressed by different adjectives, in this combination contradicting in some of their other meanings.

If I should provide a list of common words for every trait you have described:

1. Sincere, honest (as of not being afraid to admit the emotions), self-aware (as of understanding what's going on inside)
2. Sensitive (feeling with others), empathetic, solicitous (caring for other people)
3. *Here I'm a bit lost but:* Insightful (a person that generally *understads*, but needs a context specification as it could as well apply to a mechanic and machines), wise (a general word for somebody with experience and the ability to use it).
4. Calm, wise (again, universal word that fits any context)... *Well anything you'd call Obi Wan Kenobi*

Now some of the therms might probably sound contradicting if used together. For example a *sensitive* person is not expected to withstand strong emotions calmly.

However these are just words I thought up. I'm not native English speaker so you only get the words that are frequently used.

I don't see what do all these words have to do with Cognitive sciences. I think this should get moved on English.SE. In that case I hope my answer gets deleted as native English speakers would downvote the hell out of me.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I think you provide a good set of words, however some of them can be ambiguous, as you point  "a sensitive person is not expected to withstand strong emotions calmly". In Emotional Intelligence there would be no restriction for a person to recognize other people emotions and withstand strong emotions. Another example is the word wise, without any detailed context it could mean a lot of things, including the 4 points mentioned in the question.  
> **username_3**: Well, as you phrased the question, this is the answer. Adjectives tend to be ambiguous.  

---

