Study Notes on Personal Construct Theory by George Kelly
Learning Objectives
Understand the cognitive movement in psychology.
Describe personal construct theory.
Summarize ways of anticipating life events.
Understand human nature in Kelly’s theory.
The Cognitive Movement in Psychology
Kelly described personality through cognitive processes.
This theory is termed Cognitive Theory.
Each person creates a set of constructs about the environment.
These constructs are used to predict behavior and to interpret the behavior of other people.
This is an experience-based theory.
The theory is derived from Kelly's experience as a clinician.
He held that psychologists and clients operate in a similar manner.
Personal Construct Theory
People perceive and organize their experiences similarly to socially-based structures.
Construct: An intellectual framework or idea that helps to understand or interpret life events.
The individual’s personal construct pattern influences their perception and evaluation of experiences.
Behavior is based on these constructs, which individuals use to evaluate the effects of their actions.
This includes Constructive Alternativism, the recognition that individuals can choose between different constructs as circumstances change.
Revising constructs is a necessary and continuous process.
Ways of Anticipating Life Events
Psychological processes are directed by how people anticipate events.
Process: Personality is viewed as a continually evolving process.
Anticipate: People draw upon constructs to make predictions about future events.
The Corollaries of Anticipation
The Construction Corollary:
Involves similarities among repeated events.
Because repeated events are similar, individuals can anticipate how they will experience similar future events.
The Experience Corollary:
Addresses the role of individual perception in interpreting events.
People may perceive the same events in different ways based on their personal constructs.
The Categorial Corollary:
Involves relationships among constructs.
Individuals arrange their constructs based on perceived similarities and differences.
Constructs are organized into a hierarchical system.
The Dichotomy Corollary:
Involves mutually exclusive alternatives.
This suggests that constructs are defined by oppositional properties, which are necessary for accurate anticipation of future events.
The Choice Corollary:
Involves the freedom of choice, allowing for decision-making between alternatives.
Choices are made between safe, low-risk options versus high-risk, potentially more rewarding selections.
The Range Corollary:
Establishes the spectrum of applicability for constructs, defining the events to which a particular construct can be applied.
The Modulation Corollary:
Concerns adaptability to new experiences.
Individuals continuously test their constructs against life experiences to ensure their ongoing relevance.
The Permeability Corollary:
Involves the flexibility of constructs.
A permeable construct is open to new experiences and capable of adjustment based on learning.
The Fundamental Corollary:
Discusses relationships among constructs.
People may maintain subordinate constructs within their broader construct system, which can impact overall understanding and prediction.
The Commonality Corollary:
Addresses shared understanding among people in interpreting events.
Despite individual uniqueness, people in similar social contexts may share analogous constructs.
The Sociality Corollary:
Involves interpersonal relationships.
Individuals strive to understand how others think, predict their behaviors, and adjust their conduct accordingly.
Questions about Human Nature
Examines individual perspectives on:
Free Will vs. Determinism?
Nature vs. Nurture?
Influence of childhood experiences?
Concepts of Uniqueness vs. Universality?
Impacts on Satisfaction vs. Growth?
Optimistic vs. Pessimistic outlooks?