Schutz, W. (1978). FIRO Awareness Scales Manual. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Comments: Fundamental Interpersonal Relationship Orientation (FIRO-B) refers to a theory of interpersonal relations that is helpful in predicting interaction between two individuals. The 54-item FIRO-B examines the behavior that a person exhibits to others and the behavior that a person desires from others in three categories: inclusion, control, and affection. Each of the six Guttman scales contains nine items. The FIRO-B has been replaced with Element B, which addresses concerns in the areas of response categories, item wording, and interpretation in scoring. This is one of the most frequently cited instruments to measure interpersonal relationships.
Sample: The original sample consisted of over 1,000 participants. The majority were university students and there was a small sample of air force personnel.
Reliability: The reproducibility coefficients for the six scales had a mean of 0.94. Reproducibility coefficients ranged from 0.93 to 0.94. Test-retest reliability coefficients (Harvard sample) over a one-month interval ranged from 0.71 to 0.82, with a mean of 0.76 for the six scales.
Validity: Information about content and concurrent validity is included in part I of the manual. In addition, FIRO-B scores are provided for 12 occupational groups. Part II contains a review of the research studies and various applica- tions of the FIRO Awareness Scales from 1958–1977.
Definition of Scales: Inclusion is defined as the need to form and continue a satisfying relationship with people in terms of interaction and association. Positive inclusion refers to words such as mingle, communicate, companion, and to- getherness. Negative inclusion refers to words such as outcast, lonely, withdrawn, and ignore. Control is defined as the need to form and continue a satisfying relationship with people in terms of control and power. Positive control refers to such words as power, authority, superior, and leader. Negative control refers to words such as resistance, anarchy, submissive, and follower. Affection is defined as the need to form and continue a satisfying relationship with people in terms of love and affection. Positive affection refers to words such as like, personal, intimate, and friend. Negative affection refers to words such as dislike, rejecting, hate, and cool.
References
Gracia, A. (2006). A correlational study of a random stratified sample of superintendents in Michigan: Analyzing the relationship between MBTI (R) reported personality preference types and FIRO-B (TM) interpersonal leadership styles, MBTI (R) perceived and reported personality preference types, and MBTI (R) perceived personality preference types and FIRO-B (TM) interpersonal leadership styles. PhD dissertation, Bowling Green State University.
Jesnster, N. P. (2010). Leadership impact on motivation, cohesiveness and effectiveness in virtual teams: A FIRO perspective. D.B.A. Grenoble Ecole de Management (France).
Mulinaro, M. E. (1990). Relationship between the interpersonal relationship variables of inclusion, control and openness and self- perceived preferred leadership styles of deans and department chairpersons in the public and private colleges of West Virginia. EdD dissertation, West Virginia University.
Schmuldt, L. M. (2006). An investigation of altruism and personality variables among beginning counseling students. PhD disserta- tion, University of Central Florida.
Fundamental Interpersonal Relationship Orientation
1. I try to be with people.
2. I let other people decide what to do.
3. I join social groups.
4. I try to have close relationships with people.
5. I tend to join social organizations when I have an opportunity.
6. I let other people strongly influence my actions.
7. I try to be included in informal social activities.
8. I try to have close, personal relationships with people.
9. I try to include other people in my plans.
10. I let other people control my actions.
11. I try to have people around me.
12. I try to get close and personal with people.
13. When people are doing things together I tend to join them.
14. I am easily led by people.
15. I try to avoid being alone.
16. I try to participate in group activities.
17. I try to be friendly to people.
18. I let other people decide what to do.
19. My personal relations with people are cool and distant.
20. I let other people take charge of things.
21. I try to have close relationships with people.
22. I let other people strongly influence my actions.
23. I try to get close and personal with people.
24. I let other people control my actions.
25. I act cool and distant with people.
26. I am easily led by people.
27. I try to have close, personal relationships with people.
28. I like people to invite me to things.
29. I like people to act close and personal with me.
30. I try to influence strongly other people’s actions.
31. I like people to invite me to join in their activities.
32. I like people to act close toward me.
33. I try to take charge of things when I am with people.
34. I like people to include me in their activities.
35. I like people to act cool and distant toward me.
36. I try to have other people do things the way I want them done.
37. I like people to ask me to participate in their discussions.
38. I like people to act friendly toward me.
39. I like people to invite me to participate in their activities.
40. I like people to act distant toward me.
41. I try to be the dominant person when I am with people.
42. I like people to invite me to things.
43. I like people to act close toward me.
44. I try to have other people do things I want done.
45. I like people to invite me to join their activities.
46. I like people to act cool and distant toward me.
47. I try to influence strongly other people’s actions.
48. I like people to include me in their activities.
49. I like people to act close and personal with me.
50. I try to take charge of things when I’m with people.
51. I like people to invite me to participate in their activities.
52. I like people to act distant toward me.
53. I try to have other people do things the way I want them done.
54. I take charge of things when I’m with people.
Scoring: Scoring for items 1–16 and 41–54 is: 1 = Never; 2 = Rarely; 3 = Occasionally; 4 = Sometimes; 5 = Often; and 6 = Usually. Scoring for items 17–40 is: 1 = Nobody; 2 = One or Two People; 3 = A Few People; 4 = Some People; 5 = Many People; and 6 = Most People. Scoring can also be relative or normative. More detailed information about scoring is covered in the manual. In addition, scoring templates are available.