Personal Construct Theory

Personal Construct Theory

George Kelly was born in Perth, Kansas, USA on April 28,1905

His early education was in one-room schoolhouse and was tutored by his parents.

Finished college with a degree in Physics and Mathematics

Engineer

Social Problems

Enrolled in University of Kansas’ MA program in educational Sociology and labor relations

1929, exchange scholar at the University of Edinburg, Scotland

1930, degree in education from the university

Work closely with Sir Godfrey Thomson

1930, studied Psychology in Iowa State University Clinical Psychology and Traveling clinics 2 observations: accept and usually improves way of viewing of situation World War II – joined navy as Psychologist

Professor of Psychology and Director of Clinical Psychology at Ohio State University With Julian B. Rotter, they developed a clinical psychology program

In his 19 years at Ohio State, his theory of personality was refined and tested

He died on March 6, 1967

o All human beings can develop their own theory which allow them to anticipate in future events accurately. o It is like making decisions and choosing alternative actions. o More valid information about the person could be discovered if the person unravel himself. So, he devised Role Construct Repertory Test or Rep Test

Personal Construct An intellectual hypothesis that we devise and use to interpret, explain, give meaning or predict life events. Constructive Alternatives We are not controlled by our constructs but are free to revise or replace them with other alternatives. “A person’s processes are psychologically channelized by the ways in which he anticipates in

Circumspection phase - possible interpretations that can be labeled cognitive trial and error are tried Preemption phase - no. of constructs that seems especially relevant to the situation are chosen Control phase - the choice is made and a course of action is established.

1. Construction

Corollary Because repeated events are similar, we can predict or anticipate how we will experience such an event in the future.

2. Individual Corollary People perceive events in different ways.

3. Organization Corollary We arrange our constructs in patterns, according to our view of their similarities and differences.

4. Dichotomy Corollary Constructs are bipolar and consist of pairs of opposite. Ex. Good - bad

5. Choice Corollary A person chooses for himself that alternative in a dichotomized construct through which he anticipates the greater possibility for extension and definition of his system. Teacher 1 Past Secure Choice

1 Subject

Teacher 2 New Adventurous choice

6. Range Corollary A construct is convenient for the anticipation of a finite range of events only. 7. Experience Corollary We continually test our constructs against life’s experiences to make sure they remain useful.

8. Modulation Corollary We may modify our constructs as a function of new experiences. Psychology Major A sorority member Same interest with Opposite on his his views friend versus enemy.

9. Fragmentation Corollary A person may successively employ a variety of construction subsystems which are inferentially incompatible with each other.

10. Commonality Corollary A person may successively employ a variety of construction subsystems which are inferentially incompatible with each other

11. Socially Corollary We try to understand how other people think and predict what they will do, and we modify our behavior accordingly.

Motivation Humans are born motivated and every person is motivated for no other reason than that he or she is alive.

Anxiety recognition that the events with which one is confronted lie outside the range of convenience of one’s construct system. WHEN WE CANNOT COSTRUE AN EVENT, WE EXPERIENCE ANXIETY.

Hostility Continued effort to extort validation evidence in favor of a type of social prediction which has already proven itself a failure.

Aggression The active elaboration of one’s perceptual field.

Guilt Perception of one’s apparent dislodgement from his core role structure.

Threat Awareness of imminent comprehensive change in one’s core structures

Fear Results when a peripheral element of one’s construct system is invalidated

The Unconscious Constructs with low cognitive awareness could be considered as unconscious.

Learning The constant alteration of one’s construct system with the goal of increasing its predictive efficiency. Any change in in one’s construct system.

Primary goal of life is to reduce uncertainty. We do not seek reinforcement of avoidance of pain instead we seek validation of our construct system.

Cognitive – emphasizes mental event Humanistic – gives importance on creative power and determining personality

END Prepared by: Ana Angelica Aldemita Theories of Personality