Is there a superpower more intriguing than the ability to read minds?
One doctor is making waves online by suggesting you might possess this extraordinary skill if you can crack a simple brainteaser. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel, but the challenge merely involves discerning someone’s emotions from just their eyes.
Dr Sermed Mezher, based in London, claims that getting these questions right could be a sign of ‘high emotional intelligence’ and a remarkable talent for understanding social cues. Conversely, lower scores are very closely linked to autism, with the ‘Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test’ – or RMET – widely used to help identify neurodivergence among adults.
Posting to TikTok, Dr Mezher said (@drsermedmezher): “Psychological test – can you tell someone’s emotions just from their eyes? Low scores are associated with autism and high scores are associated with high emotional intelligence and being a woman.”
First, Dr Mezher zoomed into the following black-and-white image of just one man’s eyes, which are staring down the camera lens. This was made publicly available by the Autism Research Centre at the University of Cambridge, following the 1997 study which which trialled RMET for the very first time.
Dr Mezher posed the question to his audience: “So, is this joking, insisting, amused or relaxed?”
While you might be inclined to say ‘joking’ or ‘amused’, the correct response is actually ‘insisting’. Moving on to another shot, Dr Mezher acknowledged this was no easy feat, stressing: “This one’s tough, is it arrogant, grateful, sarcastic or tentative?”
Aside from this, taking the quiz can also help to boost your own understanding of people around you. In a previous video, Dr Mezher also explained: “Emotional intelligence encompasses the capacity to perceive, understand, and manage one’s own emotions, as well as to recognise and empathise with the emotions of others.
“When it comes to reading expressions through the eyes, emotional intelligence plays a crucial role… The ability to read eye expressions also aids in conflict resolution, as it helps identify underlying emotions and promotes effective communication.”
If you’re finding it hard to guess – don’t fret. The answer is ‘tentative’.
And finally, another ambiguous image showed what appears to be an older man furrowing his brow. Dr Mezher asked: “Is this serious, ashamed, bewildered or alarmed?… It’s serious.”
Although RMET is used to better understand ‘social cognition difficulties’, it is only one component of a comprehensive evaluation. Dr Mezher said: “A comprehensive autism evaluation involves multiple assessments, including behavioural observations, developmental history, and standardised tests.
“The RMET is just one piece of the puzzle, and its results should be interpreted in conjunction with other findings to provide a complete picture of an individual’s strengths and challenges.”