Personal construct theory

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Within personality psychology, personal construct theory (PCT) or personal construct psychology (PCP) is a theory of personality and cognition developed by the American psychologist George Kelly in the 1950s.^[1] The theory addresses the psychological reasons for actions.^[2] Kelly proposed that individuals can be psychologically evaluated according to similarity–dissimilarity poles, which he called personal constructs (schemas, or ways of seeing the world).^[1] The theory is considered by some psychologists as forerunner to theories of cognitive therapy.^[3]

From the theory, Kelly derived a psychotherapy approach, as well as a technique called the repertory grid interview, that helped his patients to analyze their own personal constructs with minimal intervention or interpretation by the therapist.^[4] The repertory grid was later adapted for various uses within organizations, including decision-making and interpretation of other people's world-views.^[5] The UK Council for Psychotherapy, a regulatory body, classifies PCP therapy within the experiential subset of the constructivist school.