Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsGeorge Kelly’s Early LifeFreudian Influences on PCTPersonal Construct TheoryContributions
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Table of Contents
George Kelly’s Early Life
Freudian Influences on PCT
Personal Construct Theory
Contributions
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George Kelly was an American psychologist who developed personal construct theory (PCT), also known as personal construct psychology (PCP). This theory suggests that each person has their own mental framework from which they see the world. People use these constructs, orschemas, to interpret information and experiences.Commonly referred to as the founder of cognitive clinical psychology, Kelly was influential in the early development ofcognitive psychology.
According to George Kelly’s personal construct theory (PCT), people interpret their world based on their personal constructs.
Kelly was born near Perth, Kansas, in 1905 to farmers Theodore Vincent Kelly and Elfleda Merriam Kelly. During much of his early life, Kelly’s education was limited to teachings from his parents. He had no formal education until 1918, when he attended school in Wichita, Kansas.At 16, he enrolled at Friends University.
Kelly never graduated high school but went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in 1926, majoring in mathematics and physics.
Kelly initially planned on a career in engineering but shifted to educational sociology at the University of Kansas. Before completing his master’s, however, he left to enroll at the University of Minnesota. After withdrawing because he was unable to pay tuition, he took a position teaching psychology at Sheldon Junior College in Iowa. In 1931, Kelly completed a PhD inpsychologyfrom the University of Iowa. He began teaching at Fort Hays State University in 1931.
In the midst of the Great Depression, Kelly applied his knowledge toward something he found useful: evaluating children and adults and developing his landmark theory.
As Kelly formed his theory, he studied the works of Austrian psychoanalystSigmund Freudfor ideas and inspiration. Although Kelly appreciated Freud’s work, he felt that thepsychoanalyst’s approachwas problematic.Freud believed that the therapist’s “correct” evaluation of the client’s situation is the key to change.
In contrast, Kelly used his observations to develop the idea he called constructive alternativism. In this approach, each individual has a unique construction, or perspective, of reality. Although some are better than others, no single interpretation is complete or totally accurate. Kelly suggested that every viewpoint has value, particularly in the situation, time, and place of the person who holds it.
The Origins of Psychology
After World War II, Kelly taught psychology at the Ohio State University for almost 20 years. It was here that he formally developed his personal construct theory. He published two texts,The Psychology of Personal Constructs, Volumes I and II,which summarized the majority of his theory.
Kelly’s personal construct theory suggests that the differences among people result from the different ways that we predict and interpret the world around us.
Personal constructs, Kelly suggested, are the unique ways in which each person gathers, evaluates, and develops interpretations, much like a scientist.
Much as a scientist forms ahypothesis, collects data, and analyzes the results, a person takes in information and performs their own “experiments” to test ideas and interpretations of events. The results of our everyday investigations influence our personalities and our way of interacting with our environment and the people around us.
Examples of Personal Construct Theory
Personal constructs are bipolar: They’re composed of two opposing sides. Constructs are unique to each person because they develop in response to the individual’s unique experiences. Thus, different people might approach the same experience in different ways.
Adventure vs. Risk
One person might view new experiences as exciting opportunities for adventure. Another person might view the same experience as a risky, frightening prospect that disturbs their peace.
In this case, the first person has a construct for security vs. adventure in which they see security as boring and adventure as desirable. The second has a personal construct for security vs. risk in which they see security as desirable and safe, whereas risk represents fear and insecurity.
Judy Hedding
Friendly vs. Unfriendly
How Personal Construct Theory Works
Kelly’s Contributions to Psychology
Kelly played an important role in the development ofclinical psychology, both through his position at Ohio State University and through his leadership roles with theAmerican Psychological Association.
His work is part of the early cognitive movement in psychology, and he is often described as one of the first cognitive theorists. Others identify him as ahumanist thinkerbecause his theory emphasized human potential and personal change, similar toAbraham Maslow’shierarchy of needs theory.
Interestingly, Kelly disliked being regarded as a cognitive theorist.While his theory shared some elements similar to the work of other humanistic and cognitive theories, he felt that his personal construct theory was unrelated.
Kelly’s view of people as natural scientists played a role in the development ofcognitive-behavioral therapy.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
A Word From Verywell
George Kelly was an influential psychologist who played an important role in the development of cognitive psychology. Despite having little formal education during his youth, he went on to earn a doctorate in psychology.
His work drew from Freudian influences but also incorporated aspects of cognitive psychology and humanism. Kelly’s personal construct theory suggests that people form unique mental frameworks about the world, which they then use to interpret information and experiences.
What Does ‘Cognitive’ Mean in Psychology?
7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Procter, H., & Winter, D. A. (2020).Personal and relational construct psychotherapy. London: Palgrave Macmillan.Kelly G.The Psychology of Personal Constructs. Routledge in association with the Centre for Personal Construct Psychology; 1991.The George Kelly Society.George Kelly (1905-1967).Benjafield JG.George Kelly: Cognitive psychologist, humanistic psychologist, or something else entirely?.Hist Psychol. 2008;11(4):239-62. doi:10.1037/a0014108Winter DA.Personal construct psychology. In: Zeigler-Hill V., Shackelford T. (eds)Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1147-1Chiari G. Man-the-scientist(Kelly). In: Zeigler-Hill V, Shackelford TK, eds.Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer International Publishing; 2017:1-2.Ruggiero GM, Spada MM, Caselli G. et al.A historical and theoretical review of cognitive behavioral therapies: From structural self-knowledge to functional processes.J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Ther.2018;36:378–403. doi:10.1007/s10942-018-0292-8
7 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Procter, H., & Winter, D. A. (2020).Personal and relational construct psychotherapy. London: Palgrave Macmillan.Kelly G.The Psychology of Personal Constructs. Routledge in association with the Centre for Personal Construct Psychology; 1991.The George Kelly Society.George Kelly (1905-1967).Benjafield JG.George Kelly: Cognitive psychologist, humanistic psychologist, or something else entirely?.Hist Psychol. 2008;11(4):239-62. doi:10.1037/a0014108Winter DA.Personal construct psychology. In: Zeigler-Hill V., Shackelford T. (eds)Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1147-1Chiari G. Man-the-scientist(Kelly). In: Zeigler-Hill V, Shackelford TK, eds.Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer International Publishing; 2017:1-2.Ruggiero GM, Spada MM, Caselli G. et al.A historical and theoretical review of cognitive behavioral therapies: From structural self-knowledge to functional processes.J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Ther.2018;36:378–403. doi:10.1007/s10942-018-0292-8
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Procter, H., & Winter, D. A. (2020).Personal and relational construct psychotherapy. London: Palgrave Macmillan.Kelly G.The Psychology of Personal Constructs. Routledge in association with the Centre for Personal Construct Psychology; 1991.The George Kelly Society.George Kelly (1905-1967).Benjafield JG.George Kelly: Cognitive psychologist, humanistic psychologist, or something else entirely?.Hist Psychol. 2008;11(4):239-62. doi:10.1037/a0014108Winter DA.Personal construct psychology. In: Zeigler-Hill V., Shackelford T. (eds)Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1147-1Chiari G. Man-the-scientist(Kelly). In: Zeigler-Hill V, Shackelford TK, eds.Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer International Publishing; 2017:1-2.Ruggiero GM, Spada MM, Caselli G. et al.A historical and theoretical review of cognitive behavioral therapies: From structural self-knowledge to functional processes.J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Ther.2018;36:378–403. doi:10.1007/s10942-018-0292-8
Procter, H., & Winter, D. A. (2020).Personal and relational construct psychotherapy. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Kelly G.The Psychology of Personal Constructs. Routledge in association with the Centre for Personal Construct Psychology; 1991.
The George Kelly Society.George Kelly (1905-1967).
Benjafield JG.George Kelly: Cognitive psychologist, humanistic psychologist, or something else entirely?.Hist Psychol. 2008;11(4):239-62. doi:10.1037/a0014108
Winter DA.Personal construct psychology. In: Zeigler-Hill V., Shackelford T. (eds)Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1147-1
Chiari G. Man-the-scientist(Kelly). In: Zeigler-Hill V, Shackelford TK, eds.Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer International Publishing; 2017:1-2.
Ruggiero GM, Spada MM, Caselli G. et al.A historical and theoretical review of cognitive behavioral therapies: From structural self-knowledge to functional processes.J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Ther.2018;36:378–403. doi:10.1007/s10942-018-0292-8
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