William Schutz's Interpersonal Relation Theory

The Fundamental Interpersonal Relation Orientation – Behaviour (FIRO-B) instrument is a short but powerful self-report tool designed to measure behaviour that derives from interpersonal needs (Hammer, 2000). This instrument is based on the theory of Fundamental Interpersonal Relation Orientation which in-turn is a theory of interpersonal relations developed by William Schutz in the year 1958. This theory has been developed on the basis of a belief that when individuals get together in a group setting, they often look to obtain three main types of interpersonal needs which include Affection or openness, inclusion and control. These have been seen as fundamental criterion for interpersonal relationship formation.
The FIRO-B theory’s initial development was based on the premise that “people need people” (Hammer, 2000) which indicated that apart from rudimentary needs such as food, shelter, etc., interpersonal needs motivated an individual’s behaviour. Hence it became important to understand the dynamics of the concept among individuals which brings out personal preferences, needs, motives and its uniqueness among individuals on the basis of interpersonal relationships. It was first used to understand and predict how high-performance military teams would work together …show more content…
This scale can be used to probe several issues and further address the same such as interpersonal relationships (one -on one -basis), career development issues, issues related to team work, the organizational culture, leadership development, etc. This instrument can be used among individuals, couples, groups and similar other situational provided there is a need to explore interpersonal behaviours in order to bring out the value and quality of the same hence yielding possible changes which can enhance the credibility of the relationships