Social Development/Social Intelligence
 

The concept of Social Intelligence, first proposed in the 1920s, is currently being analyzed and argued by academics. There is still discussion about how to define it and what it really means.

There is some agreement that it is separate from Emotional Intelligence—which is really centered on the emotional individual—understanding emotions, studying healthful/unhealthful ways to respond to them. Social Intelligence might simply be defined as social interactions, how well, or poorly they work.

For our purposes we can see Social Intelligence/Development something like this:

     Empathy:

1. our ability to read emotions in others.
2. our appropriate, congratulator responses to others' successes, joys or good luck.
3. our ability to sense/feel other's losses, setbacks, grief, and respond appropriately.

     Consideration (greasing the wheels of society):

1. our ability to consider others, think how our actions will affect them before acting.  
2. includes that which in some circles might be thought to be "old fashioned" manners: saying "Please", "Thank you", and holding doors for others, especially for those persons with bulky loads, small children or those who struggle with infirmities or simple old age.
3. it also includes things such as moderating TV/radio volume.
4. and in this new e world, consideration for others includes not texting or phoning friends while socializing with other friends--or, perhaps, while at work.

     Willingness to help others:

1. the willingness to go beyond "door holding" and be involved in more time consuming matters, for instance, student A offers to help classmate B understand and work through an assignment which A finds doable, and B is struggling with.  
2. or finding a "volunteer" interest and devoting personal time to helping someone or making something "better".  

     Showing respect for others by:

1. not disturbing or borrowing their belonging without permission.  
2. not touching them without their permission.  
3. listening carefully to what they say giving the speaker eye contact.
4. acknowledging their presence courteously.
5. accepting each person into the group, except for those times when they act disrespectfully, disruptively, overly aggressively or try to hurt others.
6. accepting a person's choice of religion or choice of none.

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