The purpose of this study was to aggregate the findings of three distinct areas of research into one model of team effectiveness. Specifically, it was hypothesized that, in accordance with prior research findings, aspects of personality related to social intelligence would predict informal leadership emergence. Furthermore, it was predicted that multiple leaders within a team would positively influence that team's subsequent level of performance, through the mediating influence of team mental model similarity and team mental model accuracy. Participants included 40 computer science and engineering teams, who completed their surveys at time one, whereas performance criterion measures were collected at time two. Contrary to prediction, results indicated that social intelligence was not a significant predictor of leadership emergence, and leadership dispersion did not directly impact team performance. However, leadership dispersion positively impacted team mental model accuracy, and team mental model accuracy and similarity positively affected subsequent team performance, as hypothesized. Therefore, the current study provides partial support for a model of team performance that takes into account multiple leadership within teams and its positive influence on the dissemination and development of important, task-related knowledge structures among team members. / Master of Science

[EN] Under the view of artificial intelligence, an intelligent agent is an autonomous entity which interacts in an environment through observations and actions, trying to achieve one or more goals with the aid of several signals called rewards. The creation of intelligent agents is proliferating during the last decades, and the evaluation of their intelligence is a fundamental issue for their understanding, construction and improvement. Social intelligence is recently obtaining special attention in the creation of intelligent agents due to the current view of human intelligence as highly social. Social intelligence in natural and artificial systems is usually measured by the evaluation of associated traits or tasks that are deemed to represent some facets of social behaviour. The amalgamation of these traits or tasks is then used to configure an operative notion of social intelligence. However, this operative notion does not truly represent what social intelligence is and a definition following this principle will not be precise. Instead, in this thesis we investigate the evaluation of social intelligence in a more formal and general way, by actually considering the evaluee's interaction with other agents. In this thesis we analyse the implications of evaluating social intelligence using a test that evaluates general intelligence. For this purpose, we include other agents into an initially single-agent environment to figure out the issues that appear when evaluating an agent in the context of other agents. From this analysis we obtain useful information for the evaluation of social intelligence. From the lessons learned, we identify the components that should be considered in order to measure social intelligence, and we provide a formal and parametrised definition of social intelligence. This definition calculates an agent's social intelligence as its expected performance in a set of environments with a set of other agents arranged in teams and participating in line-ups, with rewards being re-understood appropriately. This is conceived as a tool to define social intelligence testbeds where we can generate several degrees of competitive and cooperative behaviours. We test this definition by experimentally analysing the influence of teams and agent line-ups for several multi-agent systems with variants of Q-learning agents. However, not all testbeds are appropriate for the evaluation of social intelligence. To facilitate the analysis of a social intelligence testbed, we provide some formal property models about social intelligence in order to characterise the testbed and thus assess its suitability. Finally, we use the presented properties to characterise some social games and multi-agent environments, we make a comparison between them and discuss their strengths and weaknesses in order to evaluate social intelligence. / [ES] Bajo la visión de la inteligencia artificial, un agente inteligente es una entidad autónoma la cual interactúa en un entorno a través de observaciones y acciones, tratando de lograr uno o más objetivos con la ayuda de varias señales llamadas recompensas. La creación de agentes inteligentes está proliferando durante las últimas décadas, y la evaluación de su inteligencia es un asunto fundamental para su entendimiento, construcción y mejora. Recientemente la inteligencia social está obteniendo especial atención en la creación de agentes inteligentes debido a la visión actual de la inteligencia humana como altamente social. Normalmente la inteligencia social en sistemas naturales y artificiales se mide mediante la evaluación de rasgos asociados o tareas que se consideran que representan algunas facetas del comportamiento social. La agrupación de estos rasgos o tareas se utiliza entonces para configurar una noción operacional de inteligencia social. Sin embargo, esta noción operacional no representa fielmente a la inteligencia social y no sería posible una definición siguiendo este principio. En su lugar, en esta tesis investigamos la evaluación de la inteligencia social de un modo más formal y general, considerando la interacción del agente a evaluar con otros agentes. En esta tesis analizamos las implicaciones de evaluar la inteligencia social utilizando un test que evalúe la inteligencia general. Con este objetivo incluimos otros agentes en un entorno inicialmente diseñado para un único agente con el fin de averiguar qué cuestiones aparecen cuando evaluamos a un agente en un contexto con otros agentes. A partir de este análisis obtenemos información útil para la evaluación de la inteligencia social. A partir de las lecciones aprendidas identificamos los componentes que deberían considerarse al medir la inteligencia social y proporcionamos una definición formal y parametrizada de esta inteligencia social. Esta definición calcula la inteligencia social de un agente como su rendimiento esperado en un conjunto de entornos y con un conjunto de otros agentes organizados en equipos y distribuidos en alineaciones, reinterpretando apropiadamente las recompensas. Esto se concibe como una herramienta para definir bancos de prueba de inteligencia social donde podamos generar varios grados de comportamientos competitivos y cooperativos. Probamos esta definición analizando experimentalmente la influencia de los equipos y las alineaciones de agentes en varios sistemas multiagente con variantes de agentes Q-learning. Sin embargo, no todos los bancos de prueba son apropiados para la evaluación de la inteligencia social. Para facilitar el análisis de un banco de pruebas de inteligencia social, proporcionamos algunos modelos de propiedades formales sobre la inteligencia social con el objetivo de caracterizar el banco de pruebas y así valorar su idoneidad. Finalmente, usamos las propiedades presentadas para caracterizar algunos juegos sociales y entornos multiagente, hacemos una comparación entre ellos y discutimos sus puntos fuertes y débiles para ser usados en la evaluación de la inteligencia social. / [CAT] Davall la visió de la intel·ligència artificial, un agent intel·ligent és una entitat autònoma la qual interactua en un entorn a través d'observacions i accions, tractant d'aconseguir un o més objectius amb l'ajuda de diverses senyals anomenades recompenses. La creació d'agents intel·ligents està proliferant durant les últimes dècades, i l'avaluació de la seua intel·ligència és un assumpte fonamental per al seu enteniment, construcció i millora. Recentment la intel·ligència social està obtenint especial atenció en la creació d'agents intel·ligents a causa de la visió actual de la intel·ligència humana com altament social. Normalment la intel·ligència social en sistemes naturals i artificials es mesura per mitjà de l'avaluació de trets associats o tasques que es consideren que representen algunes facetes del comportament social. L'agrupació d'aquests trets o tasques s'utilitza llavors per a configurar una noció operacional d'intel·ligència social. No obstant això, aquesta noció operacional no representa fidelment a la intel·ligència social i no seria possible una definició seguint aquest principi. En el seu lloc, en aquesta tesi investiguem l'avaluació de la intel·ligència social d'una manera més formal i general, considerant la interacció de l'agent a avaluar amb altres agents. En aquesta tesi analitzem les implicacions d'avaluar la intel·ligència social utilitzant un test que avalue la intel·ligència general. Amb aquest objectiu incloem altres agents en un entorn inicialment dissenyat per a un únic agent amb la finalitat d'esbrinar quines qüestions apareixen quan avaluem un agent en un context amb altres agents. A partir d'aquesta anàlisi obtenim informació útil per a l'avaluació de la intel·ligència social. A partir de les lliçons apreses identifiquem els components que haurien de considerar-se al mesurar la intel·ligència social i proporcionem una definició formal i parametrizada d'aquesta intel·ligència social. Aquesta definició calcula la intel·ligència social d'un agent com el seu rendiment esperat en un conjunt d'entorns i amb un conjunt d'altres agents organitzats en equips i distribuïts en alineacions, reinterpretant apropiadament les recompenses. Açò es concep com una ferramenta per a definir bancs de prova d'intel·ligència social on podem generar diversos graus de comportaments competitius i cooperatius. Provem aquesta definició analitzant experimentalment la influència dels equips i les alineacions d'agents en diversos sistemes multiagent amb variants d'agents Q-learning. No obstant això, no tots els bancs de prova són apropiats per a l'avaluació de la intel·ligència social. Per a facilitar l'anàlisi d'un banc de proves d'intel·ligència social, proporcionem alguns models de propietats formals sobre la intel·ligència social amb l'objectiu de caracteritzar el banc de proves i així valorar la seua idoneïtat. Finalment, usem les propietats presentades per a caracteritzar alguns jocs socials i entorns multiagent, fem una comparació entre ells i discutim els seus punts forts i dèbils per a ser usats en l'avaluació de la intel·ligència social. / Insa Cabrera, J. (2016). Towards a Universal Test of Social Intelligence [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/66080 / TESIS

Sustainable organisational performance imperatives that generate shareholder value are strategy, execution, culture, structure, talent, innovation, leadership and growth. These superannuated management practices are still valid. Today it is even more vital to contrive and rethink these imperatives to renew business excellence in an undefined market space, the circular economy, and to reverse engineer product offerings. At the root of performance remain team members, team leaders and managers with their neurological representations, states of consciousness, abstract levels of awareness and the higher levels of thought. These thoughts create their reality and the way they create meaning of and contributing to this world. It also provides choice and generates excellence, performance and the success of the organisation. The principal purpose of this research has been to develop an Integrated Meta-model of Team Excellence by aligning the life-cycle of an employee, management-leadership, team culture, diversity and climate in view of the pressures of the business environment in order to execute an excellent performance outcome at the operational level to provide customer service and drive shareholder value. The first objective of the research was to model team excellence to enable performance so that the current performance level in a team can be determined, developmental opportunities can be identified and excellent performance parameters can be deliberated on for emulation, recruitment team fit and placement. Two instruments were applied for profiling. The thinking preferences were profiled with the Inventory of Work and Attitude Motivation Instrument (iWAM®) and the Values System Questionnaire (VSQ®) was used to profile and analyse the complexity of value structures as drivers of organisational performance. Contrastive analyses were conducted for the managers, team leaders and teams with the conclusion that a manager, a team leader and team members can create the fundamental conditions for emotionally and socially intelligent ability and capacity to facilitate performance. The capacity to model thinking preferences of outliers and poor performers and engineer a contextual Model of Excellence for a specific team in a specific environment distinguishes the work of Merlevede in that it has at its core a more accurate approach to identify areas of development, selection, team fit, design of appropriate coaching and mentoring interventions to improve and sustain team performance. / PhD (Business Administration), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Sustainable organisational performance imperatives that generate shareholder value are strategy, execution, culture, structure, talent, innovation, leadership and growth. These superannuated management practices are still valid. Today it is even more vital to contrive and rethink these imperatives to renew business excellence in an undefined market space, the circular economy, and to reverse engineer product offerings. At the root of performance remain team members, team leaders and managers with their neurological representations, states of consciousness, abstract levels of awareness and the higher levels of thought. These thoughts create their reality and the way they create meaning of and contributing to this world. It also provides choice and generates excellence, performance and the success of the organisation. The principal purpose of this research has been to develop an Integrated Meta-model of Team Excellence by aligning the life-cycle of an employee, management-leadership, team culture, diversity and climate in view of the pressures of the business environment in order to execute an excellent performance outcome at the operational level to provide customer service and drive shareholder value. The first objective of the research was to model team excellence to enable performance so that the current performance level in a team can be determined, developmental opportunities can be identified and excellent performance parameters can be deliberated on for emulation, recruitment team fit and placement. Two instruments were applied for profiling. The thinking preferences were profiled with the Inventory of Work and Attitude Motivation Instrument (iWAM®) and the Values System Questionnaire (VSQ®) was used to profile and analyse the complexity of value structures as drivers of organisational performance. Contrastive analyses were conducted for the managers, team leaders and teams with the conclusion that a manager, a team leader and team members can create the fundamental conditions for emotionally and socially intelligent ability and capacity to facilitate performance. The capacity to model thinking preferences of outliers and poor performers and engineer a contextual Model of Excellence for a specific team in a specific environment distinguishes the work of Merlevede in that it has at its core a more accurate approach to identify areas of development, selection, team fit, design of appropriate coaching and mentoring interventions to improve and sustain team performance. / PhD (Business Administration), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Thesis (M. Ed. (Educ. Psych.)) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2013 / Learners who demonstrate inappropriate, anti-social, and/or disruptive behaviours are becoming more prevalent. School personnel are dealing with disruptive behaviours that occur more frequently and that affect staff and learners’ performance. According to Farrell, Meyer, Sullivan and Kung (2003) this prevalence of disruptive behaviour and underperformance in secondary schools is posing a threat to education in South Africa and learners struggle with problems that predispose them to long-term negative outcomes. As children become adolescents, they experience a variety of physical, emotional and interpersonal changes while simultaneously transitioning from elementary to middle school. If the transition is stressful and the climate of the school appears unwelcoming, low self-esteem, a decline in academic achievement and inappropriate behaviour problems may follow (Wagerman & Funder, 2007).Escalating concern regarding disruptive behaviour in schools has led to intensified efforts to understand its causes and consequences, and to identify effective practices and strategies to reduce its occurrence. It is against this backdrop that the researcher attempts to determine the cognitive and social well-being of adolescents regarding emotional intelligence in the Lejweleputswa school district. The research followed a mixed method approach, using the sequential explanatory triangulation type; where questionnaires were completed by secondary school learners followed by interviews with teachers from conveniently selected secondary schools in the Lejweleputswa district of the Free State. The Literature study showed that factors such as learning, intelligence and emotional intelligence were associated with cognitive and social well-being of secondary schools learners. The following data collection instruments were used to gather information regarding the topic. For the quantitative study, a closed ended questionnaire was developed and utilised by one hundred and seventy four (174) learners. For the qualitative part, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten (10) teachers. By using COSOC, the three-way ANOVA and T-test, the seven hypotheses of the study were tested and the findings indicated that there is a significant relationship between and within the independent variables being; gender, grade and residential with regard to cognitive and social emotional intelligence. This study will reveal what aspects of education practices are viewed as helpful as well as areas needing improvement. It will also give insight into whether selected schools are using proactive strategies and techniques demonstrated in the research as being the most effective in terms of changing inappropriate behaviour and underperformance.

Previous research has suggested that viewing of another’s averted eye gaze causes automatic orienting of attention and eye movements in observers due to the importance of eye gaze for effective social interaction. Other types of visual cues with no social or biological relevance, such as arrows, are claimed not to produce such a direct effect on orienting behaviour. The finding that processing of eye gaze is reduced in individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorders as well as following damage to the orbitofrontal cortex of the brain, suggests that gaze processing is indeed critical for effective social behaviour and therefore eye gaze may constitute a “special” directional cue. This thesis tested these ideas by examining the influence of socio-biological (eye gaze and finger pointing) and non-social cues (arrows and words) on eye movement responses in both healthy control participants and those with damage to the frontal lobes of the brain. It further investigated the relationship between orienting to gaze and arrow cues and autistic traits in a healthy population. Important differences between the effects of socio-biological and non-social cues were found on saccadic eye movements. Although in the pro-saccade tasks, arrow cues caused a similar facilitation of responses in the cued direction as eye gaze and pointing cues, in the anti-saccade tasks (in which participants have to respond away from the location of a peripheral onset), arrows had a greatly reduced effect on oculomotor programming relative to the biologically relevant cues. Importantly, although the socio-biological cues continued to influence saccadic responses, the facilitation was in the opposite direction to the cues. This finding suggests that the cues were being processed within the same "anti-response" task set (i.e. "go opposite") as the target stimulus. Word cues had almost no effects on saccadic orienting in either pro- or anti-saccade tasks. Schematicised eye gaze cues had a smaller magnitude effect than photographic gaze cues suggesting that ecological validity ("biological-ness") is an important factor in influencing oculomotor responses to social cues. No relationship was found between autistic traits and orienting to gaze or arrow cues in a large sample of males. However, findings from the neurological patients point to a possible double-dissociation between the neural mechanisms subserving processing of socio-biological and non-social cues, with the former reliant on the orbitofrontal cortex, and the latter on lateral frontal cortex. Taken together, these results suggest that biologically relevant cues have privileged access to the oculomotor system. The findings are interpreted in terms of a neurocognitive model of saccadic orienting to socio-biological and non-social cues, and an extension to an existing model of saccade generation is proposed. Finally, limitations of the research, its wider impact and directions for future work are discussed.

The purpose of this investigation is to extend the study of the influence of social comprehension on the adjustment of college students by (1) determining the adjustment progress of students in the social fundamentals classes, and (2) comparing the adjustment progress of men and women in these home economics classes with the progress of men and women in other subject-matter fields.

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) Picture Arrangement (PA) subtest has often been assumed to be a measure of social intelligence. The present study compared WISC PA performance and performance on a verbal conditioning task (production of plural nouns) as a measure of social intelligence. Four groups, high and low PA with reinforcement, and high and low PA without reinforcement, were compared on production of plural nouns over two consecutive four-minute periods. The four groups did not differ significantly in the production of plural nouns. The present study, using verbal conditionability as a measure of social intelligence, found no evidence to support the assumption that WISC PA performance is a measure of social intelligence in children.

Research on factors that contribute to the forms and functions of aggression (reactive, proactive, relational, and overt) is important for informing intervention efforts with aggressive youth. Previous research shows that aggressive youth often have cognitive and social deficits associated with their aggressive behavior. For example, aggressive youth may exhibit deficits in social variables such as social intelligence (i.e., the understanding of behaviors of people and ability to predict outcomes of situations). Hypothetically, this lack of social intelligence may be related to how youth interpret social situations, and could conceivably lead to hostile attributional bias, or the tendency to interpret ambiguous stimuli as hostile. The main purpose of this study was to examine whether HAB mediated the relationship between social intelligence and reactive relational aggression in a sample of detained adolescent boys (ages 12-18). The results failed to support this hypothesis. Supplemental analyses explored whether HAB moderated the relationship between social intelligence and the subtypes of aggression, but results were not consistent with this hypothesis.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that a cognitivebehavioral based psycho-educational group counseling program would increase at-risk female adolescent emotional intelligence (EI). The EI research reviewed and discussed entailed a competency building program composed of affirmations, meditation guided imagery, individual therapy sessions, group therapy, psychodrama, journaling, and parent handouts. The study was based upon theories related to the development of EI in at-risk youth, and the outcome research related to the effectiveness of emotional interventions for enhancing positive social-emotional development of at-risk adolescents. ...T his study investigated whether a group therapy process that encompasses programmatic components fostering self-regulation, self-awareness, empathy, and positive social skills, could effectively increase the EI and social adjustment of a target group of at-risk female adolescents. / by Monica Nicoll. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.