Either/Or

Question 1

Either/Or Negative Example:

(Statements or questions which engage one’s attention on a consequence that presupposes something else. It creates what Erickson called, “an illusion of choice” and directs attention to consider only the two possibilities mentioned.)

“Are you doing that on purpose or can’t you help it?”

Answer 1

Either/Or Positive Challenge:

“Are those my only two choices?”

Question 2

Either/Or Negative Example:

(Statements or questions which engage one’s attention on a consequence that presupposes something else. It creates what Erickson called, “an illusion of choice” and directs attention to consider only the two possibilities mentioned.)

“Are you dense or just naive?”

Answer 2

Either/Or Positive Challenge:

“Are those the only two options you can think of?”

Question 3

Either/Or Negative Example:

(Statements or questions which engage one’s attention on a consequence that presupposes something else. It creates what Erickson called, “an illusion of choice” and directs attention to consider only the two possibilities mentioned.)

“Either we win or lose.”

Answer 3

Either/Or Positive Challenge:

“Could we win in one sense and lose in another? What would have to be true if we did neither?”