Personal Construct Personal Construct PsychologyPsychology

Viv BurrViv Burr

Personal Construct PsychologyPersonal Construct Psychology

A healthy dietA healthy diet

A good hotelA good hotel

A bad fatherA bad father

Personal Construct PsychologyPersonal Construct Psychology

George Kelly (1930s)George Kelly (1930s)

The Psychology of Personal Constructs (1955)The Psychology of Personal Constructs (1955)

Uniqueness of the personUniqueness of the person

Focus on personal meaningsFocus on personal meanings

CONSTRUCTSCONSTRUCTS

Personal Construct PsychologyPersonal Construct Psychology

Poles Poles

Bi-Polar Bi-Polar eg friendly atmosphere vs unwelcomingeg friendly atmosphere vs unwelcoming

Personal Construct PsychologyPersonal Construct PsychologyRepertory Grid Repertory Grid

Enables you to:Enables you to:

Examine the person’s unique pattern of constructs Examine the person’s unique pattern of constructs (“Individuality”)(“Individuality”)

Examine the relationships between constructsExamine the relationships between constructs

Examine the relationships between objects or events Examine the relationships between objects or events for the personfor the person

Examine shared construing (“Commonality”)Examine shared construing (“Commonality”)

Personal Construct PsychologyPersonal Construct PsychologyPreferredPreferredpole 0pole 0

Contrast Contrast (non-(non-preferred)preferred)pole Xpole X

Personal Construct PsychologyPersonal Construct Psychology

Stage 1: Role Repertory Test Stage 1: Role Repertory Test

Steps:Steps:Think of a number of “Elements” Think of a number of “Elements” Construct elicitation using triads (groups of Construct elicitation using triads (groups of 3) or dyads (pairs)3) or dyads (pairs)

Personal Construct PsychologyPersonal Construct Psychology

Stage 2: complete the gridStage 2: complete the grid

1. Enter the constructs on your grid1. Enter the constructs on your gridUsing 0 for the left (preferred) pole and X for the Using 0 for the left (preferred) pole and X for the right (contrast, non-preferred) pole:right (contrast, non-preferred) pole:

Enter preferred pole Enter preferred pole Enter contrast (non-preferred) poleEnter contrast (non-preferred) pole

Use one row for each constructUse one row for each construct

Personal Construct PsychologyPersonal Construct Psychology

2. Score the elements on the constructs2. Score the elements on the constructs

Taking each construct (row) in turn, enter a Taking each construct (row) in turn, enter a 0 or X in the boxes in that row to represent 0 or X in the boxes in that row to represent which pole of the construct each element which pole of the construct each element lies at for you.lies at for you.

Personal Construct PsychologyPersonal Construct PsychologyPreferredPreferred00

MarsMars Kit-Kit-KatKat

SnickersSnickers Milky Milky WayWay

Lion Lion BarBar

BountyBounty IdealIdeal Non-Non-preferredpreferredXX

not too not too sweetsweet

XX 00 00 XX 00 00 00 too sweettoo sweet

has bitshas bits XX 00 00 XX 00 XX 00 smoothsmooth

hardhard XX 00 00 XX XX XX 00 softsoft

satisfyingsatisfying 00 XX 00 XX 00 XX 00 Still hungryStill hungry

chewychewy 00 XX 00 XX 00 XX 00 not chewynot chewy

SolidSolid 00 XX 00 XX 00 XX 00 insubstantialinsubstantial

Personal Construct PsychologyPersonal Construct Psychology

Related Elements: Related Elements: Snickers, Ideal and Milky WaySnickers, Ideal and Milky Way

Related constructs: Related constructs: satisfying/still hungry & chewy/not chewysatisfying/still hungry & chewy/not chewyhas bits/smooth & hard/softhas bits/smooth & hard/soft

Personal Construct PsychologyPersonal Construct PsychologyReferencesReferences

Butt and Burr (2004) Butt and Burr (2004) An Invitation to Personal Construct An Invitation to Personal Construct PsychologyPsychology. 2nd edition. London: Whurr publishers.. 2nd edition. London: Whurr publishers.Caputi, P., Viney, L., Walker, B.M. and Crittenden, N. (eds) Caputi, P., Viney, L., Walker, B.M. and Crittenden, N. (eds) (2012) Personal Construct Methodology. Chichester: Wiley-(2012) Personal Construct Methodology. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.Blackwell.Kelly, G. (1955). Kelly, G. (1955). The psychology of personal constructsThe psychology of personal constructs. New . New York: Norton. York: Norton. Banister, P., Burman, E., Parker, I., Taylor, M. and Tindall, C. Banister, P., Burman, E., Parker, I., Taylor, M. and Tindall, C. (1994) (1994) Qualitative Methods in PsychologyQualitative Methods in Psychology, Buckingham: , Buckingham: Open University Press. Open University Press. Fransella, F. and Bannister, D. (1977) Fransella, F. and Bannister, D. (1977) A manual for repertory A manual for repertory grid techniquegrid technique. Academic Press Inc.. Academic Press Inc.Neimeyer, G. J. (1993) Neimeyer, G. J. (1993) Constructivist AssessmentConstructivist Assessment. London: . London: Sage.Sage.