Interpersonal Needs at Work (FIRO-B)

What the FIRO-B measures

Will Schutz developed the FIRO-B to predict how military teams would work together. It operates on the theory that all human interpersonal behavior is driven by three fundamental needs: Inclusion, Control, and Affection. Crucially, the FIRO-B measures these needs across two dimensions: Expressed Behavior (what I do to others) and Wanted Behavior (what I want others to do to me). The mismatch between these two dimensions is the primary source of human conflict.

The dimensions it assesses

• Inclusion (I): The need for belonging, recognition, and participation.
• Expressed (eI): I invite others to join; I initiate contact.
• Wanted (wI): I want others to invite me; I want to be included.
• Control (C): The need for power, authority, and responsibility.
• Expressed (eC): I take charge, direct others, and make decisions.
• Wanted (wC): I want others to take charge, tell me what to do, and set the rules.
• Affection (A): The need for emotional warmth, closeness, and intimacy.
• Expressed (eA): I show warmth, get personal, and act friendly to others.
• Wanted (wA): I want others to act warmly toward me and show they care.

What to do with your result

1. The "Secret Subordinate" (High eC, High wC): You like to take charge (eC=8), but you actually want clear parameters and permission from a higher authority (wC=8). You will clash with a hands-off, laissez-faire boss. You need to explicitly ask for clear boundaries so you can safely take control within them.
2. The "Prickly Pear" (Low eA, High wA): You act cold and distant to others (eA=1), but internally you desperately want people to like you and show you warmth (wA=8). This creates massive confusion; people think you want to be left alone. You must learn to initiate warmth to receive it.
3. Team Conflict Mapping: If Manager A has high Expressed Control (9) and Employee B has low Wanted Control (1), Employee B will feel micromanaged and suffocated, while Manager A will view Employee B as a rogue agent.

Common questions about the FIRO-B

What does the FIRO-B measure?

Assessment of interpersonal needs: how individuals relate to others and how they want others to relate to them.

Can the FIRO-B diagnose me?

No. Interpersonal Needs at Work (FIRO-B) is a screening questionnaire, not a diagnostic tool. It can flag that something may need a closer look. It cannot tell you what is causing it. It describes tendencies rather than diagnosing anything, and no result here is a condition or something to fix.

Is this FIRO-B test really free?

Yes. No account, no email address, no payment. Psychometrics Today is funded by donations rather than advertising, which is also what allows us to publish instruments whose authors permit free but non-commercial use.

Are my answers stored or shared?

No. Your answers are scored inside your browser and never sent to us. There is no database of responses, because we never receive any. Closing the tab erases them, which is why results cannot be recovered afterwards.

How often should I retake the FIRO-B?

Traits and preferences move slowly, so retaking this every few months is more informative than retaking it often. Larger shifts usually follow a genuine change in circumstances.

How accurate is the FIRO-B?

Screening questionnaires are good at flagging that something merits attention and poor at establishing what it is. This one is sensitive to how you feel on the day you take it, and many instruments were validated on narrow populations whose cut-offs may not transfer cleanly to everyone. The references at the foot of this page are the primary sources.

Why can I not take the FIRO-B here?

Commercial licensed instrument. We will not reproduce a questionnaire we have no right to reproduce, so this page explains what it measures instead. Measure interpersonal needs with IPIP interpersonal-circumplex scales.