fei75766_ch19_610-639.indd 620  02/06/20 01:53 PM
Part VI    Learning-Cognitive Theories620
paraphrased asfollows: 
People choose for them -
selves that alternative in 
a dichotomized construct 
through which they antici -
pate the greater possibility 
for extension and defini -
tion of future constructs.
This corollary 
assumes much ofwhat
isstated inKelly’s basic 
postulate andinthepre-
ceding corollaries. People 
make choices onthebasis
ofhowtheyanticipate 
events, andthose choices 
arebetween dichotomous alternatives. Inaddition, thechoice corollary assumes 
thatpeople choose those actions thataremost likely toextend theirfuture range of
choices.
Arlene’s decision tobuyausedcarwasbased onaseries ofprevious choices, 
eachofwhich wasbetween dichotomized alternatives andeachofwhich broadened 
herrange offuture choices. First,shechose theindependence ofschool overthedepen -
dence ofgoing home tolivewithherparents. Next, buying acaroffered more freedom 
thanrelying onfriends oronbusschedules orwalking (which sheperceived astime
consuming). Repairing heroldcarwasfinancially risky compared tothegreater safety 
ofbuying ausedone.Purchasing anewcarwastooexpensive compared totherela-
tively inexpensive usedcar.Each choice wasbetween alternatives inadichotomized 
construct, andwitheachchoice, Arlene anticipated thegreater possibility forextend -
inganddefining future constructs.
Range of Convenience
Kelly’s range corollary assumes thatpersonal constructs arefinite andnotrelevant 
toeverything. “A construct is convenient for the anticipation of a finite range of events 
only” (Kelly, 1955, p.68).Inother words, aconstruct islimited toaparticular range 
of convenience.
Theconstruct independence waswithin Arlene’s range ofconvenience when she
wasdeciding tobuyacar,butonother occasions ,independence would beoutside 
those boundaries. Independence carries withitthenotion ofdependence. Arlene’s free-
domtoremain inschool, freedom tocontinue herjob,andfreedom tomove quickly 
from place toplace without relying onothers allfallwithin herindependence/depen -
dence range ofconvenience. However, Arlene’s construct ofindependence excludes 
allirrelevancies suchasup/down, light/dark, orwet/dry; thatis,itisconvenient only
forafinite range ofevents.
Therange corollary allowed Kelly todistinguish between aconcept andacon-
struct. Aconcept includes allelements having acommon property, anditexcludes 
those thatdonothavethatproperty. Theconcept tallincludes allthose people andPeople choose between alternatives based ontheiranticipation of
future events. ErikIsakson/Getty Images
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