About PCP
What is Personal Construct Psychology?
Personal Construct Psychology (PCP) is an approach to psychology developed by George Kelly in the 1950s. Kelly viewed people as "personal scientists," constantly testing and revising their constructs about the world based on their experiences. PCP emphasizes that our understanding of the world is not fixed. The world is seen as a fluid, and persons in the world as “forms of motion” themselves. Who we are is shaped by how we anticipate events and can be altered when our constructs no longer fit new experiences. By encouraging individuals to explore and modify their personal constructs, PCP is a framework for personal growth, adaptability, and deeper self-awareness.
Who was George Kelly?
George Kelly was an influential American psychologist best known for developing Personal Construct Psychology (PCP) and for profoundly influencing the subsequent development of cognitive psychology, even though Kelly’s theory is an independent approach of its own. Born in 1905 in Kansas, Kelly initially trained as an engineer before switching to psychology, which influenced his scientific approach to understanding human behavior.
Kelly’s work was and, in many ways, still is revolutionary, viewing people as active makers of their own psychological realities. Kelly’s theory diverged from the dominant psychoanalytic and behaviorist models of the time, offering a more flexible and individual-centered approach to understanding personality. His ideas have had a lasting impact on personality theory and psychotherapy, but also on other fields such as cognitive psychology.
Learn more about PCP
If you’re interested in learning more about constructivisim, check out these two intro lectures by Dr.Vladimir Miletić.