Forging Connection –
The 36 Questions for interpersonal closeness.
Have you ever watched the Big Bang episode where Penny & Sheldon ask each other a set of questions as a scientific experiment to see if it would make them fall in love?
They were referring to a study by psychologist Arthur Aron.
It didn’t 100% work but they definitely became closer and Penny experienced a “wave of affection” for Sheldon!
Under times of stress our relationships often suffer as we tend to put up walls and masks to hide our vulnerabilities rather than admitting our fears and helping each other.
As stated in the study:
“One key pattern associated with the development of a close relationship among peers is sustained, escalating, reciprocal, personal self- disclosure.”
Although created in 1997, the questions gained notoriety after appearing in the NY Times Modern Love section, and The Big Bang Theory: Intimacy Acceleration episode.
So why not use it as an excuse to get closer to a friend or partner, rekindle closeness, or just to learn a bit more about yourself and somebody close to you?
The questions are broken up in to three groups, and then there’s a final task to complete the exercise.
Let’s do this!
Section 1
1. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?
2. Would you like to be famous? In what way?
3. Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?
4. What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?
5. When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?
6. If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?
7. Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?
8. Name three things you and your partner appear to have in common.
9. For what in your life do you feel most grateful?
10. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?
11. Take four minutes and tell your partner your life story in as much detail as possible.
12. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?
Section 2
13. If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know?
14. Is there something that you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it?
15. What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?
16. What do you value most in a friendship?
17. What is your most treasured memory?
18. What is your most terrible memory?
19. If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Why?
20. What does friendship mean to you?
21. What roles do love and affection play in your life?
22. Alternate sharing something you consider a positive characteristic of your partner. Share a total of five items.
23. How close and warm is your family? Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other people’s?
24. How do you feel about your relationship with your mother?
Section 3
25. Make three true “we” statements each. For instance, “We are both in this room feeling …”
26. Complete this sentence: “I wish I had someone with whom I could share …”
27. If you were going to become a close friend with your partner, please share what would be important for him or her to know.
28. Tell your partner what you like about them; be very honest this time, saying things that you might not say to someone you’ve just met.
29. Share with your partner an embarrassing moment in your life.
30. When did you last cry in front of another person? By yourself?
31. Tell your partner something that you like about them already.
32. What, if anything, is too serious to be joked about?
33. If you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? Why haven’t you told them yet?
34. Your house, containing everything you own, catches fire. After saving your loved ones and pets, you have time to safely make a final dash to save any one item. What would it be? Why?
35. Of all the people in your family, whose death would you find most disturbing? Why?
36. Share a personal problem and ask your partner’s advice on how he or she might handle it. Also, ask your partner to reflect back to you how you seem to be feeling about the problem you have chosen.
Now look in to each other’s eyes for 4 minutes.
Congratulations!
You’re done!
How do you feel?