SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ASSERTIVENESS AS PREDICTORS OF FEAR OF NEGATIVE EVALUATION AMONG LECTURERS

The study investigated social intelligence and assertiveness as predictors of fear of negative evaluation among ESUT lecturers, Eighty (80) lecturers comprised of 49 males and 31 females with a mean age of 40.86 and SD of 6.454 were selected using multi-stage (cluster, simple random: by balloting and purposive) sampling techniques as participants from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu. Enugu. Fear of Negative Evaluation (FNE), Tromso Social Intelligence Scale and Rathus Assertiveness Scale were used for data collection, a correlational design was adopted, hierarchical multiple regression using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 27 was used for data analysis. Findings revealed that only social information processing dimension of social intelligence UnSt= -.375* and t= -2.487* at p< .05 negatively predicted fear of negative evaluation among lecturers. While the social skills UnSt= -.300 and t=1.955 and social; awareness UnSt= .107 and t= .651 failed to predict fear of negative evaluation. Social intelligence r= .542 was related to fear of negative evaluation, it contributed 29.4% variance to fear of negative evaluation at r2= .294. Assertiveness UnSt= .048 and t= .321fail to predict fear of negative evaluation. Social intelligence and assertiveness jointly r= .544 are related to fear of negative evaluation, they contributed 29.6% variance to fear of negative evaluation, and the jointly failed to predict fear of negative evaluation at p< .05. Assertiveness failed to moderate the relationship between social skills dimension of social intelligence and fear of negative evaluation UnSt= -.038 and t= -.219 at p< .05. Assertive positively moderated the relationship between social awareness and fear of negative evaluation UnSt= .489*** and t= 4.945*** and assertiveness positively moderated the relationship between social information processing dimension of social intelligence UnSt=.633*** t= 12.749*** at p< .001. Hence, Lecturers should perceive the lecturing process as an interactive one was both lecturers and the students learn from each other, this will help to reduce over-expectations.