George Kelly's Theories and Contributions

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Questions and Answers

Where was George Kelly born?

Ohio, USA

Edinburgh, Scotland

New York City, New York

Berth, Kansas (correct)

Which degree did Kelly receive from Park College?

Bachelor's in Physics and Math (correct)

Master's in Education

Bachelor's in Sociology

Bachelor's in Psychology

What was one of the key areas Kelly worked on after World War II?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Social Psychology

Educational Psychology

Clinical Psychology (correct)

What notable program did George Kelly develop with Julian Rotter?

Clinical Psychology Program Signup and view all the answers

Which institution did Kelly attend for his studies in psychology?

Iowa State University Signup and view all the answers

What role did Kelly have at Brandels University?

Chair of Behavioral Science Signup and view all the answers

What type of clinics did Kelly develop during his clinical psychology practice?

Mobile clinics Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant aspect of Kelly's family background?

His parents were fundamentalists. Signup and view all the answers

What does the concept of Constructive Alternativism imply?

There are multiple perspectives and alternative interpretations of the world. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary limitation of a construct according to the Range Corollary?

It is limited to a particular range of events. Signup and view all the answers

How did Kelly want people to approach their understanding of the world?

By evaluating hypotheses about the consequences of their behavior. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the Experience Corollary?

A person's construction system evolves through experience. Signup and view all the answers

What analogy does Kelly use to describe a healthy person?

A good scientist who adjusts constructs according to new data. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Modulation Corollary emphasize?

The limits imposed by the permeability of constructs. Signup and view all the answers

What is the perspective on motivation in Kelly's theory?

People are active by nature, regardless of external forces. Signup and view all the answers

Which situation exemplifies the Fragmentation Corollary?

A man who is protective yet encourages independence in his wife. Signup and view all the answers

What does Kelly suggest about personal statements regarding the world?

They represent hypotheses revealing more about the individual. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following reflects Kelly’s view on self-image?

It is fluid and can change over time. Signup and view all the answers

How is social interaction defined in the context of the Sociality Corollary?

It involves one person interpreting another's construction process. Signup and view all the answers

What does Kelly's concept of 'push theories' relate to?

The internal motivations that drive individuals. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Range Corollary imply about the application of constructs?

Constructs are only useful in limited contexts. Signup and view all the answers

What key idea does the Experience Corollary emphasize about learning?

Learning is enriched through successive construing of events. Signup and view all the answers

How does Kelly define the role of the Self in personality?

As a mask that hides one's true nature. Signup and view all the answers

What does 'pull theories' refer to in the context of Kelly's framework?

The purposes and values that guide behavior. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is least aligned with Kelly's views on behavior?

Actions are predetermined by external factors beyond control. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Individuality Corollary emphasize about people's construction of events?

People's interpretations of events can vary significantly. Signup and view all the answers

What is characteristic of the Organization Corollary in relation to a person's constructs?

Constructs are arranged in a hierarchical manner. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a dichotomous construct according to the Dichotomy Corollary?

A construct that consists of opposite pairs. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Choice Corollary suggest about how people make choices?

Choices improve future anticipations of events. Signup and view all the answers

How does a person's construction system evolve according to the Organization Corollary?

It continuously evolves with new experiences. Signup and view all the answers

What is required to form a construct, based on the Dichotomy Corollary?

Identifying similarities and contrasting opposite events. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements aligns with the principles of the Choice Corollary?

Decisions are made to either define or extend construct systems. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main limitation of dichotomous constructs as indicated in the Dichotomy Corollary?

They oversimplify complex situations. Signup and view all the answers

Why do people develop different anticipations of the same events according to the Individuality Corollary?

As a result of their unique approaches to interpreting events. Signup and view all the answers

What role do ordinal relationships play in the Organization Corollary?

They assist in anticipating events through a structured system. Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of constructs indicates that they are dichotomous?

Bipolar Signup and view all the answers

Which corollary relates to how a person anticipates events through previous experiences?

Experience corollary Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'permeability' refer to in the context of constructs?

The ease with which constructs can be changed Signup and view all the answers

Which corollary suggests that an individual’s processes are directed by anticipations?

Fundamental Postulate Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a 'core' construct?

It is central to a person’s understanding of themselves. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Range of Convenience refer to in Personal Construct Theory?

The scope of applications for specific constructs Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following corollaries deals with the triggering of other constructs?

Constellatory corollary Signup and view all the answers

What does the Choice corollary indicate about human behavior?

Individuals choose constructs based on past experiences. Signup and view all the answers

Which process is associated with the Organization corollary?

How various constructs are prioritized Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'fragmentation' refer to in Personal Construct Theory?

Inconsistency in a person’s judgments Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Personal Construct Theory - George Kelly

George Kelly was born on April 28, 1905, in a Kansas farm
His father was a Presbyterian minister and his mother a school teacher
Kelly was tutored by his parents in his early life, and attended a one-room school house
In 1926, he received a college degree in physics and math from Park College, and a Master's degree in Sociology from the University of Kansas
In 1929 he was awarded a Fellowship at the University of Edinburgh, and earned a BS in Education the following year
Later, he returned to America and studied psychology at Iowa State University
He practiced clinical psychology and developed traveling clinics that serviced the state public system
He taught drama at Sheldon College, and met his wife, Gladys Thompson
After WWII, he joined the faculty of Ohio State University, where he became director of clinical psychology
He and Julian Rotter developed a clinical psychology program, considered one of the best in the country
In 1965, Kelly moved to Brandels University and became Chair of Behavioral Science
He died on March 6, 1967, at the age of 62

Basic Assumptions

Constructive Alternativism: There are various ways to understand the world, with different perspectives always available.
Man-the-Scientist: People create hypotheses about their behavior's consequences, and evaluate the accuracy of these hypotheses through predictions.
Interpretation of events: An individuals interpretation of events is more critical than the events themselves
Constructs: An individual interprets events based on personal constructs (similar to a cognitive framework)
Kelly saw people as active and engaged with the world, not merely reacting to forces. His view is that people use constructs to understand and anticipate events.

Features of Constructs

Bipolar: Constructs are dichotomous (opposing pairs)
Range of Convenience: Limited range of applicability to specific events
Locus of Convenience: Constructs are most relevant to specific areas/types of objects/events
Permeability: Easy to extend a construct to new objects/events
Preemptive: Nothing else matters except how an event is construed based on the relevant construct
Constellatory: Triggers for other relevant constructs without further information
Propositional: Constructions do not lead to other judgements about the object
Core: Fundamental constructs to a person's self-perception
Peripheral: Less fundamental, more likely to change

Fundamental Postulate and Corollaries

Fundamental Postulate: A person's processes are channelized by their anticipation of events.
Construction Corollary: A person anticipates events by constructing similar experiences. Similar events will form a construct
Individuality Corollary: People differ from one another in their constructions of events.
Organization Corollary: People organize their constructs into a hierarchy for convenience in anticipating events.
Dichotomy Corollary: Constructs are comprised of opposite poles or characteristics
Choice Corollary: The alternative chosen in a dichotomous construct is the one anticipated for greater growth and expansion
Range Corollary: Each construct is limited to a specific range of convenience and applicability
Experience Corollary: Constructs are modified when new experiences validate or invalidate anticipated outcomes
Modulation Corollary: Construct modification is limited by the permeability of the construct's range of applicability and whether it is open to modification
Fragmentation Corollary: A person's belief system can contain subsystems with varying viewpoints or constructions that might be incompatible
Sociality Corollary: To the extent that one understands the thought process of another, that understanding impacts the interpersonal relationship
Commonality Corollary: People whose experiences are similar will form similar constructs.

Continuum of Cognitive Awareness

Preverbal Constructs: Cognitive frameworks that exist outside of language.
Submerged constructs: One side of a bipolar construct is not as easily accessible as the other
Suspended constructs: Ideas and memories are not easily accessible unless they are tied to a construct in the construct system

A Last Look

Clients are the best source of information for themselves
Kelly's contributions were important to clinical psychology, emphasizing patient's cognition
His work lacked empirical support (lack of empirical basis)
He overlooked emotions, which are frequently significant in both normal and pathological cases

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Description

Test your knowledge on the life and work of psychologist George Kelly. This quiz covers his education, key concepts like Constructive Alternativism, and significant contributions to clinical psychology. Dive deep into the theories that shaped his perspective on human understanding and motivation.