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Essay Quiz
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1

"Opposites attract," as the adage would have it. Yet, according to the extensive world-wide research presented in Chapter 15, it would seem that an overwhelming number of individuals hope to select mates who are similar to themselves, thus increasing the likelihood for a stable, fulfilling, and longer lasting relationship. Is there, then, any truth to the saying, "opposites attract"? Why or why not? What examples in this chapter can you point to in defense of people selecting mates different from themselves? How might this alter our understanding of assortative mating?
2

In Chapter 15, Larsen and Buss introduce us to the phenomenon of "expectancy confirmation," also known as "self-fulfilling prophecy" or "behavioral confirmation," whereby people's beliefs about the personality characteristics of others cause people to evoke in others actions that are consistent with their initial beliefs. The authors are quick then to point out the everyday dangers associated with this kind of evocation. Now, for your essay, extend this behavior from everyday life into the realm of counseling: What might the dangers of expectancy confirmation be for you as a counselor? How could those dangers be avoided? Furthermore, as a counselor, how would knowing more about your own personality help you to avoid evoking the wrong kind of behaviors in others?





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