“Using Assertiveness Strategies”
For any one of the following situations, compose an aggressive, a nonassertive, and an assertive response. Then, in one sentence, explain why your message of assertiveness will be more effective than the aggressive or nonassertive message. 1. You’ve just redecorated your apartment, making it exactly as you want it. A good friend of yours brings you a house gift-the ugliest poster you’ve ever seen-and insists that you hang it over fireplace, the focal point of your living room. 2. Your friend borrows $30 and promises to pay you back tomorrow. But tomorrow passes, as do 20 subsequent tomorrows. You know that your friend has not forgotten about the debt,and you also know that your friend has more than enough money to pay you back. 3. Your next door neighbor repeatedly asks you to take care of her four year old while she runs some errand or another. You don’t mind helping out in an emergency, but this occurs almost every day.
“Constructing Confirming, Rejecting, and Disconfirming Responses”
For each situation below write a confirming, a rejecting, and a disconfirming response, and indicate what effects each type of response is likely to generate. 1. Angel receives this semester’s grades in the mail;they are a lot better than previous semesters’ grades but are still not great. After opening the letter, Angel says: I really tried hard to get my grades up this semester. Angel’s parents respond:
With confirmation:
With rejection:
With disconfirmation:
2. Carrie’s boyfriend of seven years left her and married another woman. Carrie confides this to Samantha, who responds:
With Confirmation:
With rejection:
With disconfirmation: