How long has it been since you’ve had a meaningful face-to-face interaction with a friend?
When you’re alone, is your first instinct usually to grab your phone to catch up on news or social media?
Are you friendly with your next-door neighbors — and do you make an effort to say hello whenever you see them?
These are just some of the questions designed to assess the quality of your social interactions in “How Healthy Is Your Social Biome? Take Our Quiz.” Catherine Pearson introduces the quiz:
We interact with people every day: A brief nod to a neighbor. A friendly chat in the school pick-up line. A heart-to-heart with a friend.
Together, these moments add up to your “social biome,” a term coined by the communication researchers Andy Merolla, of the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Jeffrey Hall, of the University of Kansas, to describe the complex ecosystem of relationships that can shape your quality of life.
In their new book, “The Social Biome,” Dr. Merolla and Dr. Hall argue that there are several key elements that contribute to a vibrant, healthy social biome.
Our daily routines and rhythms are different, the researchers acknowledge, and there is no one right or best way to boost social well-being. But this 15-question quiz can help you take stock of your habits, and the results will offer simple suggestions to strengthen your social biome.
Don’t overthink it. Social patterns can change over time, so just pick the answer that feels right for you now.
Students, take the quiz and then tell us:
How vibrant and healthy is your social biome, according to the quiz? Do the results seem accurate? Why or why not?
How do you think knowing your social biome can benefit you and the quality of your daily interactions? Do you think the biome is a useful concept?
How satisfied are you with your social interactions overall? Do you think your ties could be stronger or more meaningful? Do you wish you had more social connection in general — or perhaps less?
How helpful were the suggestions to improve or deepen your social well-being after the quiz? Do you think you might try some of the recommendations in the future?
What advice do you have for other teenagers who are looking to change or enhance their social biomes?
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.
