fei75766_ch19_610-639.indd 616  02/06/20 01:53 PM
Part VI    Learning-Cognitive Theories616
insist thatthese people, along witheveryone else,arelooking attheirworld through 
“transparent patterns ortemplates” thattheyhavecreated inorder tocope withthe
world’s realities. Although these patterns ortemplates donotalways fitaccurately, 
theyarethemeans bywhich people make sense outoftheworld. Kelly referred to
these patterns aspersonal constructs:
They arewaysofconstruing theworld. They arewhatenables [people], andlower 
animals too,tochart acourse ofbehavior, explicitly formulated orimplicitly acted out,
verbally expressed orutterly inarticulate, consistent withother courses ofbehavior or
inconsistent withthem, intellectually reasoned orvegetatively sensed. (p.9)
Apersonal construct isone’s wayofseeing howthings (orpeople) arealike
andyetdifferent from other things (orpeople). Forexample, youmayseehowAshly 
andBrenda arealikeandhowtheyaredifferent from Carol. Thecomparison and
thecontrast must occur within thesame context. Forexample, tosaythatAshly and
Brenda areattractive andCarol isreligious would notconstitute apersonal construct, 
because attractiveness isonedimension andreligiosity isanother. Aconstruct would 
beformed ifyouseethatAshly andBrenda areattractive andCarol isunattractive, or
ifyouviewAshly andBrenda asirreligious andCarol asreligious. Both thecompari -
sonandthecontrast areessential.
Whether theyareclearly perceived ordimly felt,personal constructs shape 
anindividual’s behavior. Asanexample, consider Arlene withherbroken-down car.
After heroldcarstopped running, herpersonal constructs shaped hersubsequent 
course ofaction, butnotallherconstructs wereclearly defined. Forinstance, she
mayhavedecided tobuyalate-model automobile because sheinterpreted thecar
dealer’s friendliness andpersuasiveness asmeaning thatthecarwasreliable. Arlene’s 
personal constructs maybeaccurate orinaccurate, butineither case, theyareher
means ofpredicting andcontrolling herenvironment.
Arlene triedtoincrease theaccuracy ofherpredictions (that thecarwould pro-
videreliable, economical, andcomfortable transportation) byincreasing herstore of
information. Sheresearched herpurchase, asked others’ opinions, tested thecar,and
haditchecked byamechanic. Inmuch thesame manner, allpeople attempt toval-
idate theirconstructs. They lookforbetter-fitting templates andthustrytoimprove 
theirpersonal constructs. However, personal improvement isnotinevitable, because 
theinvestment people make intheirestablished constructs blocks thepathofforward 
development. Theworld isconstantly changing, sowhatisaccurate atonetimemaynot
beaccurate atanother. Thereliable bluebicycle Arlene rodeduring childhood should 
notmislead hertoconstrue thatallbluevehicles arereliable.
Basic Postulate
Personal construct theory isexpressed inonefundamental postulate, orassumption, 
andelaborated bymeans of11supporting corollaries. Thebasic postulate assumes 
that“a person’s processes are psychologically channelized by the ways in which [that 
person] anticipates events” (Kelly, 1955, p.46).Inother words, people’s behaviors 
(thoughts andactions) aredirected bythewaytheyseethefuture. Thispostulate is
notintended asanabsolute statement oftruth butisatentative assumption open to
question andscientific testing.Final PDF to printer