Social Intelligence and Competencies

Kurzfassung

This article reviews and integrates research on social intelligence and competence. Firstly, the differences in the definitions of abilities, skills, intelligence, competence, individuals’ potentials, and behavior are described. Secondly, theoretical models and measurement methods of social intelligence are contrasted, and requirements for social cognitive ability tasks are established. Thirdly, some representative conceptualizations of social competence are systematically compared and integrated into a framework of socially competent behavior that differentiates between the individual’s potential and the resulting behavior. Finally, measurement issues of social skills and competence are discussed (e.g., accounting for situational variability and the question of adequate outcome criteria).