because doing so will be instrumental in filling their own needs.
Each is able to respond because each has skills. PEC theory assumes
that certain skills are more appropriate for responding to certain
needs, but which skills are appropriate for which needs is deemed
an empirical question.
When both P and E respond satisfactorily to the other’s needs,
that is, each is satisfied with the other’s response, we infer P-E cor-
respondence.Otherwise, we have discorrespondence,which is when
either P or E (or both) is not satisfied or is dissatisfied with the
response of the other. (To simplify matters, dissatisfiedwill be used
as including not satisfied). Thus mutually responding to each other’s
needs is what correspondencemeans when the term is used as a
dependent variable in PEC theory. Its indicators are P’s satisfaction
with E and E’s satisfaction with P. The way we know that the needs
P expects E to fill are indeed filled—that E has responded satisfac-
torily—is through P’s satisfaction. The converse is true: we know
that P has responded satisfactorily when E is satisfied, that is, P’s sat-
isfactoriness is equivalent to E’s satisfaction. Thus when the focus is
on P, we say that the indicators of “correspondence” are P’s satisfac-
tion and satisfactoriness.
Correspondence is also used as an independent variable in PEC
theory. In this usage, correspondencemeans the agreement or fit
between P and E. To assess this agreement, P and E are viewed as
commensurate constructs; hence, each can be described using the
same terms as those used to describe the other. In PEC theory, E is
described in P terms but as the complement of P.Thus, when P is de-
scribed in need terms, E is described in terms of the needs that E
can fill (that is, in terms of the reinforcers that E can provide for P).
When P is described in skill terms, E is described in terms of the
skills appropriate to fill E’s response requirements (that is, in terms
of the P skills that E’s needs require). Thus, in PEC theory, the way
to characterize any particular E would be to specify the distinctive
reinforcers (for P) it provides and the skills (of P) it requires. The
focus of PEC theory is on P, even in the description of E.
436 CAREER CHOICE AND DEVELOPMENT