Give the definition for the dichotomy corollary. Explain how all constructs are bipolar or dichotomous
What will be an ideal response?
ANS: The dichotomy corollary states that our constructs must always be framed in terms of a pair of mutually exclusive alternatives. All constructs are bipolar or dichotomous. This is necessary if we are to anticipate future events correctly. Just as we note similarities among people or events, we must also account for dissimilarities. For example, it is not enough to have a construct about a friend that describes the personal characteristic of honesty. We must also consider the opposite, dishonesty, to explain how the honest person differs from someone who is not honest. If we did not make this distinction—if we assumed that all people are honest—then forming a construct about honesty would not help us anticipate or predict anything about people we might meet in the future. A person can be expected to be honest only in contrast to someone who is expected to be dishonest. The appropriate personal construct in this example, then, is honest versus dishonest.