Survey of Heterosexual Interactions (SHI)
Twentyman et al‚ 1981
1. You want to call a girl up for a date. This is the first time you are calling her up as you only know her slightly. When you get ready to make the call‚ your roommate comes into the room‚ sits down on his bed and begins reading a magazine. In this situation you would:
1= be unable to call in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to call in some cases in every case‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to call in every case
1= be unable to call in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to call in some cases in every case‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to call in every case
2. You are at a dance. You see a very attractive girl whom you do not know. She is standing alone and you would like to dance with her. You would:
1= be unable to ask her in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to ask her in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to ask her in every case
1= be unable to ask her in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to ask her in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to ask her in every case
3. You are at a party and you see two girls talking. You do not know these girls but you would like to know one of them better. In this situation you would:
1= be unable to initiate a conversation‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to initiate a conversation in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to initiate a conversation in every case
1= be unable to initiate a conversation‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to initiate a conversation in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to initiate a conversation in every case
4. You are at a bar where there is also dancing. You see a couple of girls sitting in it booth. One‚ whom you do not know‚ is talking with a fellow who is standing by the booth. These two go over to dance leaving the other girl sitting alone. You have seen this girl around‚ but do not really know her. You would like to go over and talk to her (but you wouldn’t like to dance). In this
situation you would:
1= be unable to go over and talk to her‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to go over and talk to her in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to go over and talk to her in every case
1= be unable to go over and talk to her‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to go over and talk to her in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to go over and talk to her in every case
5. On a work break at your job you see a girl who also works there and is about your age. You would like to talk to her‚ but you do not know her. You would:
1= be unable to talk to her in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to talk to her in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to talk to her in every case
1= be unable to talk to her in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to talk to her in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to talk to her in every case
6. You are on a crowded bus; a girl you know only slightly is sitting in front of you. You would like to talk to her but you notice that the fellow sitting next to her is watching you. You would:
1= be unable to talk to her in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to talk to her in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to talk to her in every case
1= be unable to talk to her in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to talk to her in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to talk to her in every case
7. You are at a dance. You see an attractive girl whom you do not know‚ standing in a group of four girls. You would:
1= be unable to ask to in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to ask in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to ask in every case
1= be unable to ask to in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to ask in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to ask in every case
8. You are at a drugstore counter eating lunch. A girl whom you do not know sits down beside you. You would like to talk to her. After her meal comes she asks you to pass the sugar. In this situation you would pass the sugar:
1= but be unable to initiate a conversation with her‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= and in some cases be able to initiate a conversation‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= and be able to initiate conversation
1= but be unable to initiate a conversation with her‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= and in some cases be able to initiate a conversation‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= and be able to initiate conversation
9. A friend of yours is going out with his girlfriend this weekend. He wants you to come along and gives you the name and phone number of a girl he says would be a good date. You are not doing anything this weekend. In this situation you would:
1= be unable to call in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to call her in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to call in every case
1= be unable to call in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to call her in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to call in every case
10. You are at the library. You decide to take a break‚ and as you walk down the hall you see a girl whom you know only casually. She is sitting at a table and appears to be studying. You decide that you would like to ask her to get a coke with you. In this situation you would:
1= be unable to ask her in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to ask her in some case‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to ask her in every case
1= be unable to ask her in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to ask her in some case‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to ask her in every case
11. You want to can a girl up for a date. You find this girl attractive but you do not know her. You would:
1= be unable to call in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to call in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7 = be able to call in every case
1= be unable to call in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to call in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7 = be able to call in every case
12. You are taking a class at the university. After one of your classes you see a girl whom you know. You would like to talk to her; however‚ she is walking with a couple of otter girls you do not know. You would:
1= be unable to talk to her in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to talk to her in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to call in every case
13. You have been working on a committee for the past year. There is a banquet at which you are assigned a particular seat. On one side of you there is a girl you do not know; on the other side is a guy you do not know. In this situation you would:
1= be unable to initiate a conversation with the girl and talk only with the guy‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to initiate a conversation with the girl in some cases but talk to the guy‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to initiate a conversation in every case and be able to talk equally as freely with the girl as with the guy
1= be unable to initiate a conversation with the girl and talk only with the guy‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to initiate a conversation with the girl in some cases but talk to the guy‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to initiate a conversation in every case and be able to talk equally as freely with the girl as with the guy
14. You are in the lobby of a large apartment complex waiting for a friend. As you are waiting for him to come down a girl whom you know well walks by with another girl whom you have never seen before. The girl you know says hello and begins to talk to you. Suddenly .she remembers that she left something in her room. Just before she leaves you she tells you the other girl’s name. In this situation you would:
1= find it very difficult to initiate and continue a conversation with the other girl‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= find it only slightly difficult‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= find it easy to initiate and continue a conversation
1= find it very difficult to initiate and continue a conversation with the other girl‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= find it only slightly difficult‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= find it easy to initiate and continue a conversation
15. You are at a party in a friend’s apartment. You see it girl who has come alone. You don’t know her‚ but you would like to talk to her. In this situation you would:
1= be unable to go over and talk to her‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to go over and talk to her in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to go over and talk to her in every case
1= be unable to go over and talk to her‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to go over and talk to her in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to go over and talk to her in every case
16. You are walking to your mailbox in the large apartment building where you live‚ When you get there you notice that two girls putting their names on the mailbox of the vacant apartment beneath yours. In this situation you would:
1= be unable to go over and initiate a conversation‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to go over and initiate a conversation in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to go over and initiate a conversation in every case
1= be unable to go over and initiate a conversation‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to go over and initiate a conversation in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to go over and initiate a conversation in every case
17. You are at a record store and see a girl that you once were introduced to. That was several months ago and now you have forgotten her name. You would like to talk to her. In this situation you would:
1=be unable to start a conversation with her in every case‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to start a conversation with her in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= able to start a conversation with her in every case
18. You are at the student union or local cafeteria where friends your age eat lunch. You have gotten your meal and are now looking for a place to sit down. Unfortunately‚ there are no empty tables. At one table‚ however‚ there is a girl sitting alone. In this situation you would:
1 = wait until another place was empty and then sit down‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= ask the girl if you could sit at the table but not say anything more to her‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= ask the girl if you could sit at the table and then initiate a conversation
1 = wait until another place was empty and then sit down‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= ask the girl if you could sit at the table but not say anything more to her‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= ask the girl if you could sit at the table and then initiate a conversation
19. A couple of weeks ago you had a first-date with a girl you now see walking on the street towards you. For some reason you haven’t seen each other since then. You would like to talk to her but aren’t sure of what she thinks of you. In this situation you would:
1= walk by without saying anything‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= walk up to her and say something in every case‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= walk up to her and say something in every cases
1= walk by without saying anything‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= walk up to her and say something in every case‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= walk up to her and say something in every cases
20. Generally‚ in most social situations involving girls whom I do not know‚ I would:
1= be unable to initiate a conversation‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to initiate a conversation in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to initiate a conversation in every case
1= be unable to initiate a conversation‚ 2‚ 3‚ 4= be able to initiate a conversation in some cases‚ 5‚ 6‚ 7= be able to initiate a conversation in every case
This instrument can be found at: http://www.angelfire.com/ab6/polepino/AppendixI.html
Twentyman‚ C. T.‚ & McFall‚ R. M. (1975). Behavioral training of social skills in shy males. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology‚ 43(3)‚ 384-395.
Twentyman‚ C. T.‚ & McFall‚ R. M. Training of social skills in shy males. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology‚ 1975‚ 43‚ 384-395.
wentyman‚ C. T.‚ Boland‚ T.‚ & McFall‚ R. M. (1981). Heterosocial avoidance in college males: Four studies. Behavior Modification‚ 5(4)‚ 523-552.
Twentyman and McFall (1981). Survey of Heterosexual Interactions (SHI). IN Fischer‚ Joel.‚ Corcoran‚ Kevin J. (2007 ). Measures for Clinical Practice and research: A sourcebook. (4th ed.). NY. Oxford University Pr. Vol. 1‚ Page (s): 193-197.
Cite this article
mohammad looti (2026). Survey of Heterosexual Interactions (SHI). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Retrieved from https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/survey-of-heterosexual-interactions-shi/
mohammad looti. "Survey of Heterosexual Interactions (SHI)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 25 Apr. 2026, https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/survey-of-heterosexual-interactions-shi/.
mohammad looti. "Survey of Heterosexual Interactions (SHI)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 2026. https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/survey-of-heterosexual-interactions-shi/.
mohammad looti (2026) 'Survey of Heterosexual Interactions (SHI)', PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Available at: https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/survey-of-heterosexual-interactions-shi/.
[1] mohammad looti, "Survey of Heterosexual Interactions (SHI)," PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, April, 2026.
mohammad looti. Survey of Heterosexual Interactions (SHI). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. 2026;vol(issue):pages.