Emotional Intelligence Test

This face is expressing ________.

• Disgust

• Anger

• Sadness

• Pain

Answer explanation

People often confuse anger and disgust, but disgust involves a raised upper lip and a wrinkle in the nose that you don’t see here.

This face is expressing _______.

• Happiness

• Desire

• Politeness

• Compassion

Answer explanation

This is a non-Duchenne smile—a smile that doesn’t signal true happiness. It suggests that the person is trying to seem polite and cooperative, but they don’t genuinely feel happy.

This face is expressing _______.

• Pride

• Contempt

• Sadness

• Shame

Answer explanation

Contempt is when you look down on somebody derisively or suspiciously. People often confuse contempt with disgust. But disgust involves the raising of the upper lip and the bridge of the nose wrinkles. We express disgust about noxious things, not those about which we’re derisive or suspicious.

This face is expressing _______.

• Surprise

• Fear

• Sadness

• Embarrassment

Answer explanation

We express fear when we feel physically or psychologically threatened.

The facial expression of fear is often confused with surprise. But when we’re surprised, our eyes open wider than when we’re afraid, and our mouth isn’t pulled sideways like it is here; instead, our jaw drops and the mouth hangs open. Plus, our eyebrows are relatively flat when we’re afraid; they arch more when we’re surprised.

This face is expressing _______.

• Surprise

• Desire

• Happiness

• Interest

Answer explanation

The expression of interest is related to the expression of happiness. But when we’re happy, we’ll show more exaggerated upward movements of our lip corners, and the muscles around the eyes will contract more, without the eyebrow raising straight up.

This face is expressing _______.

• Surprise

• Desire

• Amusement

• Excitement

Answer explanation

The tell-tale signs of genuine amusement are the open mouth and the backwards head movement. And like a genuine smile, you can tell a genuine laugh when you see the muscles contracting around the eyes, making crow’s feet.

This face is expressing _______.

• Flirtatiousness

• Interest

• Happiness

• Politeness

Answer explanation

This is a classic display of a genuine smile, called a Duchenne smile, which signals happiness.

When you see these signs, the person isn’t just smiling politely; he’s feeling genuine happiness.

This face is expressing _______.

• Sadness

• Compassion

• Anger

• Pain

Answer explanation

When people feel sympathy or compassion, the corrugator muscles pull the eyebrows in and up, their lips press together, and their head tilts forward slightly—a sign of social engagement.

The expression of compassion is most often confused with sadness. The eyebrow movements are similar in sadness and compassion, but with compassion, the lips press together; when we feel sad, our lips pull down.