Personal Construct Theory Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards for reviewing George Kelly's Personal Construct Theory (PCT).

Personal Construct Theory (PCT)

A cognitive theory of personality that focuses on how people actively construct and interpret their experiences, viewing individuals as 'scientists' who develop mental frameworks (constructs) to predict and make sense of the world.

Fundamental Postulate of PCT

A person’s processes are psychologically channelized by the ways in which he anticipates events, meaning our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are guided by how we expect things to happen.

Personal constructs

Mental categories we use to interpret the world; they are bipolar, subjective, and used to predict events.

Constructive Alternativism

The idea that reality is not fixed and people can always reinterpret experiences in different ways, allowing them to change their constructs and adopt new perspectives.

Construction Corollary

We anticipate future events by interpreting past experiences, creating constructs based on recurring patterns to predict future situations.

Individuality Corollary

People have unique interpretations of reality because no two people construct the world in exactly the same way due to differences in experiences.

Organization Corollary

Constructs are arranged hierarchically, with some being broader and more fundamental, and others subordinate and more specific, helping people prioritize what matters most.

Dichotomy Corollary

Constructs are bipolar, meaning each has two opposing sides, helping us differentiate and make sense of the world.

Choice Corollary

People choose the construct that helps them better predict events, selecting the interpretation that gives them the greatest sense of control or understanding.

Experience Corollary

Constructs evolve as people encounter new experiences, with life events modifying our constructs over time.

Modulation Corollary

Some constructs are more open to change than others; permeable constructs can be adjusted, while impermeable constructs are rigid and resistant to change.

Fragmentation Corollary

People can hold inconsistent or contradictory constructs, leading to inconsistent actions as different constructs are used in different situations.

Commonality Corollary

People with similar experiences develop similar constructs, as shared culture, education, or upbringing leads to shared ways of thinking.

Sociality Corollary

Understanding others requires understanding their construct system; effective communication depends on seeing the world through another person’s constructs.

Range Corollary

Each construct applies only to a limited range of situations; some are broad, while others are narrow and specific.

Fixed-Role Therapy

A therapeutic technique developed by Kelly to help people experiment with new constructs by temporarily adopting a new identity to develop cognitive flexibility.