What is Personal Construct Psychology ?
by Nadia Crittenden Personal Construct Psychology is a way of looking at the world. The founder, George Kelly, presents a theory that gives an account of how people experience the world and make sense of that experience. He begins this account by asking people to put aside their former understanding and enter into the way in which he understands the world and makes sense of his experiences. Using the scientific model, he places people in the position of scientist who uses his/her perceptions as data or elements to form constructs. Constructs, in turn, are used to give meaning to what Kelly calls the “constant flow of events”. By providing a framework of meaning for each person, his/her construct system enables a person to act in the world with a reasonable expectation of being able to predict and, to some extent, control the course of events. When a construct system, and the constructs within it, meet this expectation, the system is strengthened or validated. when the system or any con
