George Kelly's Personal Construct Theory

Kelly's Personal Construct theory including his background, 11 Corollaries and Interpretation of Traditional Psychological Concept

1. George Kelly Personal Construct Theory

2. Kelly’s Background 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.

3. Engineer Finished college with a degree in Physics and Mathematics Kelly’s Background Social Problems

4. 1929, exchange scholar at the University of Edinburg, Scotland Enrolled in University of Kansas’ MA program in educational Sociology and labor relations Kelly’s Background 1930, degree in education from the university Work closely with Sir Godfrey Thomson

5. 1930, studied Psychology in Iowa State University Clinical Psychology and Traveling clinics Kelly’s Background 2 observations: accept and usually improves way of viewing of situation World War II – joined navy as Psychologist

6. With Julian B. Rotter , they developed a clinical psychology program Professor of Psychology and Director of Clinical Psychology a t Ohio State University Kelly’s Background

7. In his 19 years at Ohio State, his theory of personality was refined and tested He died on March 6, 1967 Kelly’s Background

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

9. Basic Postulate 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 events”.

10. The C p C Cycle Circumspection, Preemption, Control 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.

11. The Eleven Corollaries 1. Construction Corollary B ecause repeated events are similar, we can predict or anticipate how we will experience such an event in the future. 3. Organization Corollary We arrange our constructs in patterns, according to our view of their similarities and differences. 2. Individual Corollary People perceive events in different ways.

12. 4. Dichotomy Corollary Constructs are bipolar and consist of pairs of opposite. Ex. Good - bad The Eleven Corollaries 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. 1 Subject Teacher 1 Past Secure Choice Teacher 2 New Adventurous choice

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

14. 9. Fragmentation Corollary A person may successively employ a variety of construction subsystems which are inferentially incompatible with each other. The Eleven Corollaries 8. Modulation Corollary We may modify our constructs as a function of new experiences. friend versus enemy . Psychology Major Same interest with his A sorority member Opposite on his views

15. 11. Socially Corollary We try to understand how other people think and predict what they will do, and we modify our behavior accordingly. The Eleven Corollaries 10. Commonality Corollary A person may successively employ a variety of construction subsystems which are inferentially incompatible with each other

16. Interpretation of Traditional Psychological Concepts

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

18. 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.

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

20. Aggression The active elaboration of one’s perceptual field.

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

22. Threat A wareness of imminent comprehensive change in one’s core structures

23. Fear R esults when a peripheral element of one’s construct system is invalidated

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

25. Learning T he constant alteration of one’s construct system with the goal of increasing its predictive efficiency. Any change in in one’s construct system.

26. 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

27. END Prepared by: Ana Angelica Aldemita Theories of Personality