Identify a time when you told your roommate, spouse, or significant other that he or she always or never does something. Here are some examples: “You always forget to lock the door,” “You never vacuum the carpet,” “You always forget to give me messages,” or “You never wash the dishes.” Then, for one week, keep a frequency count of the actual number of times he or she engaged in the behavior. Finally, based on your observations, ask yourself whether the person really “never” or “always”

performs the behavior. Reflect on how this experience compares to what some teachers do when they are informed that a student has a behavioral or academic problem.