Social intelligence as a concept

The generally accepted definition of the concept of "social intelligence", perhaps, does not exist. More precisely, there are a great many of its interpretations used by psychologists of different schools. The very concept appeared relatively recently, the term was first introduced into psychological usage in 1920 by an American psychologist named Thorndike, who by social intelligence understood the ability of the individual to understand and foresight in the relationship.

In 1994, a group of leading American psychologists attempted to formulate the main criteria of such a large-scale concept as intelligence. The basic postulates of this definition are as follows:

• By intellect is meant the general mental capacity of an individual, expressed in the ability to solve set tasks, adapt to the environment, to think logically and quickly learn from experience.
• On the formation of his heredity has a more significant role than the environment.
• Intellect is not unchanged throughout life. It can develop, partially stabilizes in adolescence and adolescence. In an adult, intellectual development, as a rule, reaches a certain level and then undergoes little change.
• Intellect is to be measured by tests. Tests for IQ are designed taking into account the influence of age, education, language factors and serve as a fairly accurate scale for assessing intellectual development. Moreover, they are not culturally conditioned, that is, they are capable of giving an objective assessment of the mental abilities of those tested from different social groups and strata of society.

Types of intelligence, according to the concept of "multilateral intelligence" G. Gardner, can be different (there are seven in all). This is the intellect of the logical-mathematical type, verbal-linguistic, visual-spatial. And also musical-rhythmic, physical-motor, intrapersonal and interpersonal.

Social intelligence as a concept is based on intra- and interpersonal varieties and implies developed communication skills, the ability to establish contacts and establish relationships, that is, characterize the social sphere of personality development. The third basic concept is emotional intelligence, that is, the ability to perceive and properly interpret one's own and others' feelings and predict the development of the relationships and actions of others.

According to another theory (according to the concept of the English psychologist G. Yu. Eysenck), intelligence can be classified as biological, social and psychometric. And, unlike the biological (genetically conditioned), social intelligence, according to the scientist, is the result of human interaction and the environment and is formed in the process of acquiring life experience.

At the present time, the classification of J. Guilford, which distinguishes six components, is recognized as the most complete. It is the ability to distinguish and correctly interpret verbal and non-verbal messages, to establish general patterns for different types of behavior, the relationship between particular aspects of information, to catch the logic of the development of the situation as a whole, and to correctly interpret the behavior of people in different contexts, and to anticipate the consequences of others and their own actions.

According to R. Selman, social development in its development passes through five stages, each of which is characterized by a new level of knowledge of oneself, one's environment, friends and parents.

At the zero (pre-social) stage, the child's behavior is dominated by egocentrism. The child is not yet able to isolate himself from the outside world, to share feelings and thoughts of his and others.

At the first stage (social) comes the realization of oneself as an individual and separation from others. At the second stage there is the capacity for reflection. The child is already able to understand another person and his point of view. The third stage (usually 10-12 years) is characterized by the formation of self-identity, establishing its place in the structure of relations.

At the fourth stage comes the understanding of the depth and ambiguity of human relations, the awareness of the multi-faceted nature of the personality and the existence of several levels of interaction, thus forming the skills of mature behavior.