Relationship Closeness Inventory
A short survey that measures how frequently, diversely, and strongly you connect with someone.
As seen on The Big Bang Theory
What this inventory measures
Closeness is not a single feeling. Researchers often break it into overlapping parts: how much time you spend together, how varied your shared activities are, how much the other person shapes your daily choices and moods, and how much they factor into your long-term plans. This online inventory asks about all four.
When you finish, you receive one score on a 0–10 scale (shown as a percentage). It is a snapshot of how you experience the relationship right now, not a label for the other person or a prediction of whether you should stay together.
Who it is for
The test works for romantic partners, close friends, roommates, or family members — anyone you want to understand better. You answer about one specific person at a time. Many people take it about a partner and use the result as a conversation starter rather than a verdict.
Compare with someone else
Each person should complete the inventory separately, thinking about the same relationship. You can average the two scores for a shared 10-point picture, or add them for a 20-point scale. Scores often differ: one person may report more shared time while the other reports stronger influence on future plans. That gap can be as informative as the number itself. Read our guide on comparing scores with a partner.
About the inventory
It is loosely based on the work of Berscheid, Snyder and Omoto as published in 1989 in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (vol 57, issue 5). The original study used 241 university students, so many activity prompts still reflect campus life in the late 1980s. The world — and how people date, live, and communicate — has changed a lot since then. Treat the result as a structured reflection tool, not a clinical diagnosis.
Learn more before you start
- How it works — the four parts of the score and what they mean.
- What closeness means — frequency, diversity, and strength as separate ideas.
- Limits of the inventory — what the 1989 study can and cannot tell you today.
- FAQ — privacy, retakes, sharing, and common questions.