Social Facility

The following section examined the sub-dimensions of social facility; synchrony, self-presentation, influence, and concern.

2.3.1.2.1 Synchrony

The first and most foundational aspect of social facility is synchrony. The neural capacity for synchrony is unconscious and spontaneous, employing low road systems like oscillators and mirror neurons. Synchrony concerns our ability to instantaneously read and ‘synch’ with nonverbal cues resulting in smooth interactions making connections with others seem comfortable and easy. These

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nonverbal clues include gesture, body orientation, and use of touch and eye contact. Read successfully, a person in synch will respond with a nod or smile at just the appropriate time. Failure to read these clues successfully would result in a sense of unease or oddness. Those with poor ability to read and act on these nonverbal clues suffer from dyssemia (Goleman, 2006: p. 91-94); failure to learn to read and respond to nonverbal signals in childhood due to insufficient exposure to a range of emotions as displayed by peers and family.

2.3.1.2.2 Self-Presentation

Self-presentation may be defined as the ability to create an impression of how you

are in the perception of the other. This implies the ability to control and mask emotions to achieve social goals. This control gives a person self-confidence in their capacity to navigate social situations. One aspect of self-presentation is charisma.

Charisma gives a person influence over others through the expression of emotions

that ignite a synchronous emotional spectrum in their audience. Charismatic speakers are able to make a conceptual point with just the right mix of emotions which are then taken up and resonated by the recipients. It is important to note that self- presentation operates within the norms of a group, society or culture in that there are constraints around the expression of emotions as to their range and intensity. In this way, for example, it is not appropriate for a woman to cry in a public situation, but perfectly acceptable in private whereas for a man crying is generally deemed less acceptable in either public or private. Similarly, when self-presentation is not back by substance, it is equally ineffective. Take for example, a student who can make

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connections and build rapport with peers who do well in their studies but then loses contracts for lack of learning abilities (Goleman, 2006: p. 93-94).

2.3.1.2.3 Influence

Influence involves the mitigation of aggression using self-controlled force, tact and

social cognition to achieve desired outcomes. Self-control is the ability to recognize and control an aggressive impulse. Tact is closely related to empathy, in which we read a person in order to gauge what response is best and how much force might be necessary to affect the desired outcome. Social cognition is the recognition of the social norms operating within the context. In military and law enforcement contexts, influence means using the least force necessary to assert one’s authority to achieve the desired outcome relying on a calm, authoritative and professional manner. In civilian, every day contexts, influence still mitigates aggression but in more subtle ways involving a balance of tact and expressivity. For example, where a person might show high empathic accuracy and state: “I don’t turn you on”, it may not be prudent to express this, but rather absorb the insight and act on it within the bounds of the operating norms in that context to develop the relationship further or to affect some outcome. In this way expressivity acts in synergy with social cognition and allows us to navigate social interactions with the fewest ruffled feathers as possible (Goleman, 2006: p. 94-96).

54 2.3.1.2.4 Concern

Concern involves not just the ability to empathise with someone in need, but also to

take effective action to improve the situation of others. The wiring of the brain means the greater our capacity for empathy, the greater our desire to do something to help. Conversely, the less concern we are for others, the less likely we will be moved to take action. Within a work context, concerned workers translate into good corporate citizens and the value of cooperation is recognized in order to meet group objectives. Low levels of concern result in antisocial behaviour, connected with those focused solely on self, unconcerned for others and unlikely to help (Goleman, 2006: p. 96-97).

In this way, concern is closely related to compassion. Longitudinal studies suggest that antisocial behaviour may begin in childhood. Researchers assert that encouraging young children to focus on the needs of others may avoid a child turning into an antisocial adult National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (2010). While a manipulative person may score highly on the other measures of social intelligence, he/she will invariably score poorly with concern, revealing a lack of compassion. Concern is the root of caring professions such as social work and medicine. When it is aligned with high road abilities, the effectiveness of action is enhanced; for example in the case of Bill and Melinda Gates’ trust fund, which uses proven business strategies to combat the effects of poverty (Goleman, 2006: p. 96- 97).

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The social facility sub-dimensions equipped the student with the ability to read and understand others when interacting with peers. This is seen as a vital aspect of socializing as one will be aware when to speak, listen and give opinions. Such abilities will enhance a student’s acceptance in a group as he/she is perceived as a person who cares and concern on matters that are currently being discussed. Thus, a student with good social facility plus a high sense of social awareness is perceived as one with high social intelligence. It is therefore possible with this intelligence he/she will be likely to know how to strategize learning; a similar skill needed to acquire a high social intelligence.