Personal construct theory (PCT)

In Personal Construct Theory (PCT), Kelly asserts that personal construct system is made of four emotions namely; threat, guilt, anxiety, and fear (Chiari, 2013). These emotions are as a result of a variety of construction that occurs in everyday events. Kelly says that these emotions help one make a sense of personal experiences. PCT is a constructivist theory that abandons traditional psychological conceits and tries to show the difference that exists between her theory and other theories.  For example, Kelly says that there is no ego, no consciousness among other things that she highlights and this shows that PCT is cognitive theory (Chiari, 2016).  Kelly indicates that people create personal constructs with respect to the external world and the constructs help make sense of observations and experiences. In other words, people experience the world differently or and they tend to interpret things differently. Similarly, people have different mental constructors and these constructs are used by individuals to make a reality.  Another important point about Kelly's theory is that people have constructive alternatives which mean that people use multiple interpretations towards an event, and cognition and emotion allows a person to construct things (Chiari, 2016).  It is also important to understand that personal construct changes and the changes occur as a result of personal constructs or clinician constructs. In the construction system, the common elements in human disturbances are;

 

 Threat

 During the personal construct process, people think that their stability will be shaken and there will be a comprehensive change. During the process of creating identity, one may experience an identity crisis and long-term psychotherapy is required to help make core constructs (Chiari, 2013). In real life, people can be physically and emotionally threatened and this makes them feel unsafe.  Concerning threat, the scripture says that the Lord will provide peace and safety against threat (Psalms 4:8).

 Fear

 This means that a person feels like an incidental change may occur in the construct system.  In life, people experiences fear especially when one is involved in new situations (Chiari, 2013). Biblically, the scripture addresses fear in Isaiah 41:10 which says that no need to fear for the Lord will provide strength and help.

Guilty

 In the construct system, a person feels that he or she is not behaving in the right way or in other words, their actions do not align to their core role structure. Note that people develop identity but at some point, one realizes that he is not the kind of a person he wanted to become.  The desires conflicts with the ego and conscience and one feel that he has not met the expectations (Chiari, 2013). In life, people develop a sense of wrongdoing and feel like they are worthless.  The scripture address the issue of guilty in Matthew 11:28 which says that one might feel that he is a sinner but one can release the guiltiness by taking the heavy burden to Jesus.

 

Anxiety

 In the construction system, one fails to understand the situation or rather one fails to make a sense of the situation and this leads to anxiety. The latter may occur due to lack of appropriate behaviors which may lead to ineffective decisions making. Life is full of stressful situations which arise from work, school, families, health, among other issues (Chiari, 2013). These factors make one develop worry and apprehension due to the fear of not knowing what will happen. However, Philippians 4:6-7 advice people not to be anxious in times of challenges and difficulties but instead they should trust in God.

 

 

 

References

 

Chiari, G. (2013). Emotion in Personal Construct Theory: A Controversial Question. Journal of

Constructivist Psychology, 26(4), 249–261. https://doi.org/10.1080/10720537.2013.812853

 

Chiari, G. (2016). To Live Is to Know, to Know Is to Change: Change in Personal Construct Psychology and Psychological Constructivism. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 29(4), 340–356. https://doi.org/10.1080/10720537.2015.1134364 Chiari, G. (2016).