George Kelly is a famous American psychologist. He gained his popularity for the developed concept regarding the cognitive activity of the individual.
short biography
George Kelly, having received a bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics, changed the direction of his interests. He began to study social problems. Having defended his master's thesis, the scientist taught for several years. After that, he was awarded a bachelor's degree in pedagogy at the University of Edinburgh. At Iowa State University, George Kelly defended his doctoral dissertation. A few years before the start of World War II, he organized a program of mobile psychological clinics. They acted as a base for student practice. During the war, Kelly was an aviation psychologist. After the end of hostilities, he became professor and program manager in clinical psychology at Ohio State University.
Theory of Personality Constructors
J. Kelly developed a concept according to which the formation of the individual’s mental processes is carried out on the basis of how a person anticipates (“models”) upcoming events. The author considered people as researchers, constantly composing their image of reality using their own structure of categorial scales. In accordance with these models, people put forward hypotheses about upcoming events. In the event that the assumption is not confirmed, restructuring of the scale system to one degree or another takes place. This allows you to increase the level of adequacy of upcoming predictions. This, as George Kelly believed, is the cognitive theory of personality. The researcher also developed a special methodological principle. It is called "repertory grids." With their help, diagnostic techniques for the specifics of individual reality modeling were formed. Subsequently, the methods developed by George Kelly began to be successfully applied in various fields of psychology.
Cognitive theory
In the 1920s, the researcher used psychoanalytic interpretations in his clinical writings. George Kelly was amazed at the ease with which patients perceived Freud's concepts. Moreover, he himself considered his ideas absurd. As part of the experiment, George Kelly began to change the interpretations that his patients received, in accordance with various psychodynamic schools. It turned out that people equally perceive the principles that were offered to them. Moreover, patients were willing to change their course of life in accordance with them. Thus, neither an analysis of childhood conflicts according to Freud, nor a study of the past itself is decisive. This is the conclusion made by the results of the experiment, George Kelly. The theory of personality was associated with ways an individual interprets his experience and anticipates future events. Freud's concepts in the study were successful because they shook the model of thinking familiar to patients. They offered to understand the events in a new way.
Causes of disorders
George Kelly believed that anxiety and depression of people arise as a result of falling into the trap of inadequate and rigid categories of their thinking. For example, some believe that authoritative persons are right in any situation. In this regard, criticism from such a person will be depressing. Using any technique that will alter this setting will have an effect. At the same time, effectiveness is ensured regardless of whether it is based on a theory that connects this belief with the Oedipus complex, with the need to have a spiritual mentor, or with fear of losing the love and care of parents. Thus, Kelly came to the conclusion that it is necessary to create techniques that would directly correct inappropriate models of thinking.
Therapy
Kelly suggested that patients be aware of their own attitudes and test them in reality. So, one woman experienced anxiety and fear at the thought that her opinion might not coincide with the conclusions of the spouse. Nevertheless, Kelly insisted that she should try to express her thoughts to her husband on some issue. As a result, the patient was convinced in practice that this was not dangerous for her.
Conclusion
George Kelly became one of those psychotherapists who first tried to directly change the thinking of their patients. Such a goal is the basis of many existing methods today. All of them are united by the term "cognitive therapy". However, in modern practice in its pure form, this approach is almost never used. Behavioral techniques are mainly implemented.