The Jolly Rancher Challenge today was one of the questions on the generic starter list that students used to prepare for their first interviews-- What is the best compliment you have ever received?
For such a simple question, the results were a bit of a disheartening social science experiment I did not intend.
"When my dad told me I was the sweetest child he ever knew," one of the smartest girls I ever knew reported.
"My friend said I'm a really good friend!" the next girl said.
"Someone told me I have good eyebrows," said the next girl.
I couldn't stay silent. "That's the best compliment you ever got? You're so smart and hard-working! You write every day!"
She shrugged and held out her hand for the candy.
A boy was in line behind her. "I like it when my friends say I'm good at basketball," he said.
"I was happy when someone said I was pretty!" the next girl told me.
"What about your personality?" I said. "What do people say about that?"
"That I'm nice?" she asked, waiting for her Jolly Rancher.
"I'm reliable," said the next boy.
"I'm smart," said his friend.
"I'm funny," said another guy.
"We have the same one," said the next girl, standing next to her friend.
"People always tell us we have beautiful eyes!"
"You do," I said, "but you didn't exactly earn those. What else do people say?"
They sighed. "Sometimes my friends tell me I should be a counselor, because I'm so understanding," suggested one.
"Great!" I said handing her the candy.
"People think I'm really good at soccer," said the other one.
"Yes!" I cheered and tossed her a piece of candy.
And as the day wore on, the trend continued. Most of the girls valued appearance compliments, and most of the boys selected behavior compliments.
For such a simple question, the results were a bit of a disheartening social science experiment I did not intend.
"When my dad told me I was the sweetest child he ever knew," one of the smartest girls I ever knew reported.
"My friend said I'm a really good friend!" the next girl said.
"Someone told me I have good eyebrows," said the next girl.
I couldn't stay silent. "That's the best compliment you ever got? You're so smart and hard-working! You write every day!"
She shrugged and held out her hand for the candy.
A boy was in line behind her. "I like it when my friends say I'm good at basketball," he said.
"I was happy when someone said I was pretty!" the next girl told me.
"What about your personality?" I said. "What do people say about that?"
"That I'm nice?" she asked, waiting for her Jolly Rancher.
"I'm reliable," said the next boy.
"I'm smart," said his friend.
"I'm funny," said another guy.
"We have the same one," said the next girl, standing next to her friend.
"People always tell us we have beautiful eyes!"
"You do," I said, "but you didn't exactly earn those. What else do people say?"
They sighed. "Sometimes my friends tell me I should be a counselor, because I'm so understanding," suggested one.
"Great!" I said handing her the candy.
"People think I'm really good at soccer," said the other one.
"Yes!" I cheered and tossed her a piece of candy.
And as the day wore on, the trend continued. Most of the girls valued appearance compliments, and most of the boys selected behavior compliments.
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