fei75766_ch19_610-639.indd 623  02/06/20 01:53 PM
Chapter 19     Kelly: Psychology of Personal Constructs623
alifeofleisure andcontemplation, while theother mayhavesurvived adestitute 
childho od,struggling constantly forsurvival. Yetbothadopt aliberal political view.
Although people ofdifferent backgrounds canhavesimilar constructs, people 
withsimilar experiences aremore likely toconstrue events along similar lines. Within 
agiven social group, people mayemploy similar constructions, butitisalways theindi-
vidual, never society, whoconstrues events. Thisissimilar toAlbert Bandura’s notion 
ofcollective efficacy: Itistheindividual, notsociety, whohasvarying levels ofhighor
lowcollective efficacy (seeChapter 17).Kelly alsoassumes thatnotwopeople ever
interpret experiences exactly thesame. Americans mayhaveasimilar construction of
democracy, butnotwoAmericans seeitinidentical terms.
Social Processes
“People belong tothesame cultural group, notmerely because theybehave alike, nor
because theyexpect thesame things ofothers, butespecially because theyconstrue 
theirexperience inthesame way” (Kelly, 1955, p.94).
Thefinalsupporting corollary, thesociality corollary canbeparaphrased to
readasfollows: To the extent that people accurately construe the belief system of others, 
they may play a role in a social process involving those other people.
People donotcommunicate withoneanother simply onthebasis ofcommon 
experiences orevensimilar constructions; theycommunicate because theyconstrue 
theconstructions ofoneanother. Ininterpersonal relations, theynotonlyobserve the
behavior oftheother person; theyalsointerpret what thatbehavior means tothat
person. When Arlene wasnegotiating withtheused-car dealer, shewasaware ofnot
onlyhiswords andactions butalsotheirmeanings. Sherealized thattohimshewasa
potential buyer, someone whomight provide himwithasubstantial commission. She
construed hiswords asexaggerations and,atthesame time, realized thatheconstrued 
herindifference asanindication thatsheconstrued hismotivations differently from 
herown.
Allthisseems rather complicated, butKelly wassimply suggesting thatpeople 
areactively involved ininterpersonal relations andrealize thattheyarepartofthe
other person’s construction system.
Kelly introduced thenotion ofrolewithhissociality corollary. Arolerefers to
apattern ofbehavior thatresults from aperson’s understanding oftheconstructs of
others withwhom thatperson isengaged inatask.Forexample, when Arlene was
negotiating withtheused-car dealer, sheconstrued herroleasthatofapotential 
buyer because sheunderstood thatthatwashisexpectation ofher.Atother times and
withother people, sheconstrues herroleasstudent, employee, daughter, girlfriend, 
andsoon.
Kelly construed roles from apsychological rather thanasociological perspec -
tive.One’s roledoesnotdepend onone’s place orposition inasocial setting but
rather onhowoneinterprets thatrole.Kelly alsostressed thepoint thatone’s con-
struction ofaroleneed notbeaccurate inorder fortheperson toplaythatrole.
Arlene’s roles asstudent, employee, anddaughter would beconsidered periph -
eral roles. More central toherexistence would behercore role. With ourcore role, 
wedefine ourselves interms ofwhowereally are.Itgives usasense ofidentity and
provides uswithguidelines foreveryday living.Final PDF to printer