Feist−Feist: Theories of
Personality, Seventh
EditionV. Learning Theories 18. Kelly: Psychology of
Personal Constructs© The McGraw−Hill^563
Companies, 2009Choice Between
Dichotomies
If people construe events
in dichotomized fashion,
then it follows that they
have some choice in fol-
lowing alternative courses
of action. This is Kelly’s
choice corollary, para-
phrased as follows: Pe o -
ple choose for themselves
that alternative in a
dichotomized construct
through which they an-
ticipate the greater pos-
sibility for extension
and definition of future
constructs.
This corollary assumes much of what is stated in Kelly’s basic postulate and in
the preceding corollaries. People make choices on the basis of how they anticipate
events, and those choices are between dichotomous alternatives. In addition, the
choice corollary assumes that people choose those actions that are most likely to ex-
tend their future range of choices.
Arlene’s decision to buy a used car was based on a series of previous choices,
each of which was between dichotomized alternatives and each of which broadened
her range of future choices. First she chose the independenceof school over the de-
pendenceof going home to live with her parents. Next, buying a car offered more
freedom than relying on friends or on bus schedules or walking (which she perceived
as time consuming). Repairing her old car was financially riskycompared to the
greater safetyof buying a used one. Purchasing a new car was too expensivecom-
pared to the relatively inexpensiveused car. Each choice was between alternatives in
a dichotomized construct, and with each choice, Arlene anticipated the greater pos-
sibility for extending and defining future constructs.
Range of Convenience
Kelly’s range corollaryassumes that personal constructs are finite and not relevant
to everything. “A construct is convenient for the anticipation of a finite range of
events only”(Kelly, 1955, p. 68). In other words, a construct is limited to a particu-
lar range of convenience.
The construct independencewas within Arlene’s range of convenience when
she was deciding to buy a car, but on other occasions independence would be outside
those boundaries. Independence carries with it the notion of dependence.Arlene’s
freedom to remain in school, freedom to continue her job, and freedom to move
quickly from place to place without relying on others all fall within her indepen-
dence/dependence range of convenience. However, Arlene’s construct of indepen-
dence excludes all irrelevancies such as up/down, light/dark, or wet/dry; that is, it is
convenient only for a finite range of events.
People choose between alternatives based on their anticipation of
future events.
Chapter 18 Kelly: Psychology of Personal Constructs 557