Theory W 889
Chapter 16 - FIRO-B test instrument
Locating instruments
Ordering
Trial
Manual specifics
Review. The understanding
of research, including
experimentation, validity, and testing brings the challenge
of designing or locating a suitable pre- and post - test
instrument.
Summary. The FIRO-B seems
to be the only reliable,
valid, and proven practical test to measure productivity.
Next. Close the research
portion of the dissertation,
then close the personal-spirit part of the dissertation.
ÜLocating instrumentsÜ
State University libraries or
equivalent have source
books which permit the review of potential testing
instruments.
Large libraries have research
aids which can suggest
places to begin the search. For example:
Finding background information:
Encyclopedias, Handbooks ....
REF LB 1028.S39 Second handbook
of research on teaching.
1973. Excellent summaries on a
great number of topics....
Finding description and reviews
of tests:
REF Z 5814.P8 Mental measurements
yearbook.
REF Z 5814.E9 T47 Tests in print.129
____________________
129 Bowling Green State University
in Ohio -
Research aids.
FIRO-B
Theory W 890
The following figure shows the
first page of a How To
Use aid or guide.
Figure 93 - Finding test instruments
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Most of the tests either did not
fit the Theory W
experiment, or the test had low validity or reliability, or
the application of the test was too complex. Some comments
on the FIRO130 scales follows.
FIRO-B. This brief inventory
is based on William
Schutz's theory of small-group behavior. It
measures the
strength of the individual's expressed inclusion,
FIRO-B Theory W 891
control, and affection, and the extent to which he
wants
these behaviors from others. (211 338)
Reliability of the scales is excellent
with
reproducibility coefficients (being able to accurately
predict item responses from scale scores) at least
.80,
and most exceeding .90. FIRO-B shows good
stability over
time with test-retest reliability coefficients for
its
subscales ranging from .71 to .82.
The content validity is for Schutz's
particular domain
of interpersonal behavior and feelings. (132
578)
Results suggest some evidence for
predictive validity.
The FIRO scales have been administered
to a wide
variety of persons. (132 579)
Low scores on FIRO-B indicate that
needs are met by
inactivity and high scores indicate that needs are
met by
activity. Moderate scores indicate moderate
activity for
meeting needs. (131 169)
Those people who have high scores
on FIRO-B tend to
meet their needs actively, while those with low
scores
tend to withdraw in the face of unmet needs, then
this
means that people who tend to withdraw in the face
of
unmet needs are those who are most positively affected.
(131 175)
Experimental and controls were
compared on the basis
of the number of previous treatments they had had,
and on
____________________
130 Fundamental Interpersonal Relations
Orientation.
W.C.Schutz (1958) FIRO: A three-dimensional theory of
interpersonal behavior. New York: Holt, Rinehart &
Winston.
131 M.Smallegan (1971) A comparison
of two training
formats for persons with varying interpersonal needs. In
Adult Education vol.21.no.3.p.166-176.
132 Buros Institute (1983) Mental
measurements
yearbook. Section 416,p.577-9. Twenty possible test
were
identified under the headings - human relations, faculty
staff development, feeling of satisfaction, teamwork, team
atmosphere, team building, human resource mgt, human
relations mgt, human relations supervisors, awareness,
awareness of others, awareness traits, awareness of time and
place. Only the FIRO of 20 possibilities had excellent
reliability and had the largest scope of usage - 377
references. Review of The FIRO Awareness Scales by
P.D.Lifton, U of NC at Chapel Hill.
FIRO-B Theory W 892
initial FIRO-B scores, to determine whether they
were
comparable groups with respect to these factors.
F test
signaled almost no difference. Almost all
data was
gathered through the mail. Cover letter stated
that if
they wished to participate in the treatment and
then
explained that a similar test would be given after
the
treatment. The facilators expressed the aims
of the
treatment as providing meaningful experiences for
working
adults, improving interpersonal sensitivity, and
improving on-the-job relations. (133 405)
Instrument was FIRO-B Scale (Schutz,
1960). Schutz
(1960) cited test-retest reliability coefficients
of
.71-.82 (with a mean of .76) on scores of college
students taking the test at one-month intervals.
He also
calculated reproducibility coefficients of .93-.94
for
the six scales. Various studies reported by
Schutz may
be said to confer a moderate degree of concurrent
validity to the scales. (133 406)
The relative paucity of research
relating FIRO-B
scores to actual behavior makes it difficult to
be
certain that the changes in these scores in the
present
study translated into behavioral changes.
(133 410)
In order to obtain a measure of
the subject's
interpersonal style and methods of communicating
and
relating, we utilized Schutz's FIRO-B (1958)...which
measures an individual's orientation toward expressed
and
wanted inclusion (in the activities of others),
control
(over and by others in activities), and affection
(toward
and by others). We calculated the average
degree of
interchange compatability across the three need
areas
between each patient and the other members of the
group,
and the average interchange compatability across
these
needs for the group as a whole (including the leaders).
Interchange compatability is a measure of the amount
of
mutually satisfying interaction two individuals
wish in a
given need area. (134 350)
____________________
133 E.Jacobsen (1972) Effect of
weekend encounter
group experience upon interpersonal orientation. In Journal
of Consulting and Clinical Psychology no.38.p.403-410.
134 L.M.Koran & R.M.Costell
(1973) Early termination
from group psychotherapy. In International Journal of Group
Psychotherapy no.23.p.346-359.
FIRO-B Theory W 893
The members of highly cohesive
groups, or groups which
have a high attractiveness for their members, are
the
more likely to continue membership (Yalom and Rand,
1966). (134 351)
In work with laboratory task groups,
Schutz (1958)
found that measures of compatability other than
interchange compatability related significantly
to
cohesiveness and productivity. (134 357)
The term interpersonal refers to
relationships that
occur among people as opposed to relationships in
which
at least one person is inanimate. Interpersonal
situations lead to behavior in an individual that
differs
from the behavior of the individual when he is not
in the
presence of others. An interpersonal situation
is one
involving two or more persons, in which these individuals
take account of each other for some purpose or decision.
(Schutz, W.C., 1960, The personal underworld.
Palo Alto,
CA: Science and Behavior Books.) (135 281)
Ordering
The above progress was reviewed
by PhD program
personnel and an authorization letter was written.
____________________
135 M.S.Mumford (1974) A comparison
of interpersonal
skills in verbal and activity groups. In American Journal
of Occupational Therapy no.28.p.281-283.
FIRO-B Theory W 894
Figure 94 - FIRO-B authorization
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____________________________________________________________
The materials were ordered and
received.
FIRO-B Theory W 895
Figure 95 - FIRO-B materials
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The FIRO VAL-ED: A FIRO AWARENESS
SCALE (1977) was
rejected for (1) the size of the instrument, (2) the non-fit
with non-educational settings, (3) the use of scoring keys,
and (4) the complexity of the scoring matrix.
The FIRO-B (1977) was much better,
with (1) a smaller
size, and (2) a generic setting fit. But the scoring was
FIRO-B Theory W 896
still clumsy.
The FIRO-B: SELF-SCORABLE VERSION
(1984) was chosen as
the ideal pre- post- test instrument.
Trial
The self-scorable test version
was tried by the
author. It was a smooth and reasonable experience.
Figure 96a - FIRO-B trial
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FIRO-B Theory W 897
Figure 96b - FIRO-B trial
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FIRO-B Theory W 898
Figure 96c - FIRO-B trial
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Manual specifics
The FIRO scales do not evaluate.
They have no right
or wrong answers. No responses are good or
bad, ethical
or unethical, intelligent or stupid, moral or immoral.
The scores simply help you know more about the way
you
see yourself.
Truth is what it is. Your
truth is what is true about
you. You allow yourself to know your truth
by becoming
aware.
Honesty is the key to successful
interpersonal
relations. You are honest to the degree to
which you
share your awarenesses with someone else (or tell
them
frankly that you will not tell them). If you
have little
awareness, your honesty is not very informative
since you
have available very little of your truth to communicate.
The awareness scales are designed
to help you become
FIRO-B Theory W 899
aware of your relations to others. They provide
you with
an instrument to find your truth. I encourage
you to
choose to be honest about your results, that is,
to allow
them to be known. In this way you communicate
your truth
to other people. In that direction lies interpersonal
closeness and personal gratification. (136
3)
The success of the FIRO-B is based
on one important
fact. Most of the people who take it find
that it adds
significantly to their understanding of how to make
their
relationships with others work better.
The FIRO-B provides scores that
estimate the levels of
behavior with which we - as unique individuals -
feel
comfortable with regard to our needs for Inclusion,
our
needs for Control, and our needs for Affection.
These three dimensions are the
decisions we make in
our relationships about whether we want to be in
or out
(Inclusion), to be up or down (Control), and to
be close
or distant (Affection). (137 1)
Successful relationships seem to
be built most easily
by dealing with interpersonal dimensions in a specific
sequence. Inclusion issues seem to be most
important to
deal with first. Trying to solve Control or
Affection
issues before Inclusion is comfortably settled seems
to
bog down and revert to disguised inclusion struggles.
Similarly, until Control issues
are mutually resolved,
Affection is difficult to build. Much of what
is called
affection - but which feels somehow destructive
- is
really an unresolved power struggle fought under
the
misleading banner of caring.
To grow, true Affection seems
to need the safety of
adequate Inclusion and the trust generated by a
mutually
acceptable way to handle power and Control.
Otherwise,
we often demonstrate through our behavior the feeling
that attempting to build true affection carries
too much
risk. (137 7)
____________________
136 W.Schutz (1978) FIRO awareness
scales manual.
Palo Alto CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
137 E.Musselwhite & D.Schlageter
(1982) FIRO-B
interpersonal dimensions: Understanding your FIRO-B results.
Palo Alto CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
FIRO-B Theory W 900
Thus Theory W provides inclusive
job descriptions tied
to the aim of the functional organization - including the
generic aims of inclusion, control, and affection.
