Editing Personal construct theory (section)

{{Short description|Theory of personality and cognition}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=May 2009}}
Within [[personality psychology]], '''personal construct theory''' ('''PCT''') or '''personal construct psychology''' ('''PCP''') is a theory of [[personality]] and [[cognition]] developed by the [[United States|American]] [[psychologist]] [[George Kelly (psychologist)|George Kelly]] in the 1950s.<ref name=PCT>For example: {{harvnb|Kelly|1991}} (first published 1955); {{harvnb|Kelly|Maher|1969}}; {{harvnb|Bannister|1970}}; {{harvnb|Bannister|Fransella|1986}} (first published 1971)</ref> The theory addresses the psychological reasons for actions.<ref>Horley, "Issues in forensic psychotherapy", in {{harvnb|Winter|Viney|2005|p=227}}</ref> Kelly proposed that individuals can be psychologically evaluated according to similarity–dissimilarity poles, which he called '''personal constructs''' ([[Schema (psychology)|schema]]s, or ways of seeing the world).<ref name=PCT/> The theory is considered by some psychologists as forerunner to theories of [[cognitive therapy]].{{sfn|Millon|2004|p=395}}

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.<ref>For example: {{harvnb|Fransella|Bell|Bannister|2004}} (first published 1977); {{harvnb|Jankowicz|2004}}; {{harvnb|Caputi|Viney|Walker|Crittenden|2011}}</ref> The repertory grid was later adapted for various uses within organizations, including [[decision-making]] and interpretation of other people's [[world-view]]s.<ref>For example: {{harvnb|Stewart|Stewart|Fonda|1981}}; {{harvnb|Gaines|Shaw|1993}}; {{harvnb|Bradshaw|Ford|Adams-Webber|Boose|1993}}; {{harvnb|Simpson|Large|O'Brien|2004}}; {{harvnb|Carrillat|Riggle|Locander|Gebhardt|2009}}</ref> The [[UK Council for Psychotherapy]], a regulatory body, classifies PCP therapy within the experiential subset of the [[Constructivism (psychological school)|constructivist]] school.