Social Intelligence and Its Relationship with School Administrators’ Knowledge Absorption Capability

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to investigate administrators’ social intelligence and its relationship with knowledge absorption capability in Zahedan middle and high schools. This was a descriptive-correlational research. The population of the study consisted of all administrators (N=80) of girls’ middle and high schools in Zahedan. Among the questionnaires which were distributed, 68 copies were returned and then analyzed. In this study, Tromso’s Social Intelligence Questionnaire (2001), consisting of 21 items, and Knowledge absorption Inventory adopted from Sa’adatmand (2008) with 31 items were used. Face and content validity of the questionnaires was checked. Their reliability was estimated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient which was 0.87 and 0.94, respectively. Regarding the descriptive statistics, mean and standard deviation were used. For inferential data analysis, statistical tests including the Pearson correlation coefficient, regression analysis, independent t-test and onesample t-test were applied. Findings suggested the desirability of social intelligence and knowledge absorption capability from administrators’ perspective. Moreover, a significant relationship was observed between social intelligence and ability to absorb knowledge. By investigating the dimensions of social intelligence in predicting administrators’ knowledge absorption capability, it was revealed that first social information processing and then social skills were best predictors of the ability to absorb knowledge. In addition, administrators’ social intelligence and knowledge absorption capability accorded with their field of study as well as educational level.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6s6p333