The FIRO-B™: What the Total Needs Scores Tell Us

The FIRO-B tells us a great deal about our individual desires for interacting with others. The Total Needs score combines your needs for Affection, Inclusion, and Control. The scores range from 0-18. Low is considered from 0-5, Medium from 6-12, and High is 13 and up.

Low scores often indicate a person is very selective about the people with whom he or she interacts. Another possibility is the person feels indifferent about satisfying this need.

Medium scores usually mean the person will try to satisfy this need, either by getting others to respond or expressing the behavior him- or herself. High scorers usually want to satisfy this need frequently, often with many different people in different settings.

The need with the greatest score is the area in which the person feels most comfortable. In new situations, this is likely to be the area he or she tries to satisfy first. For example, if a person's highest need is Inclusion, in a new situation the person will try to meet all the members of the new group, attempt to "fit in," and seek to get the feeling of belonging to the group. A person who scores highest on Control will likely want to understand the hierarchy in the group, who's in charge, how the group is structured, who is responsible for what, etc. Those who score highest on Affection will usually try to establish close personal relationships with the group, as well as developing personal trust among the group.

Remember, the highest score is the need the person is least likely to sacrifice. Similarly, the lowest score will be the first to go. So, a person whose high score is Affection and low score is Inclusion might be more comfortable working closely with trusted colleagues rather than joining a new team. Still, none of the needs will be ignored, particularly if the person scores in the medium to high range.