Feist−Feist: Theories of
Personality, Seventh
EditionV. Learning Theories 18. Kelly: Psychology of
Personal Constructs(^572) © The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2009
FIGURE 18.2 Example of a repertory grid.
From The psychology of personal constructs,by G. A. Kelly, 1955, p. 270. New York: Norton. Copyright 1955 by W. W. Norton & Company. Used by
permission.
1
SORT
NO. EMERGENT POLE IMPLICIT POLE
CONSTRUCTS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
(^2345678910111213141516171819)
SelfMotherFatherBrotherSisterSpouseEx-flamePalEx-palRejecting PersonPitied PersonThreatening PersonAttractive PersonAccepted TeacherRejected TeacherBossSuccessful PersonHappy PersonEthical Person
Don't believe in God
Both appreciate music
More understanding
Both friends
Believe the same about me
Same age
Think alike
Both have high morals
Both girls
Both girls
More sociable
Believe in higher education
More religious
Don't like other people
Higher education
Achieved a lot
Teach the right thing
Understand me better
Parents
Both girls
Not athletic
Same sort of education
Very religious
Don't understand music
Less understanding
Not friends
Believe differently about me
Different ages
Think differently
Low morals
Not girls
Not girls
Not sociable
Not believing in too much education
Not religious
Like other people
No education
Hasn't achieved a lot
Teach the wrong thing
Don't understand at all
Ideas different
A boy
Athletic
Completely different education
After a number of sorts are completed, the examiner transfers the information
to a repertory grid. Figure 18.2 shows a hypothetical grid in which 19 role titles are
listed along the horizontal axis and 22 personal constructs along the vertical axis. On
Sort Number 1, the person who filled out this grid construed Persons 17 and 18 alike
because they don’t believe in God and Person 19 as being different because he or she
is very religious. The examinee also checked Persons 7, 10, and 12 because they are
construed as similar to the two people in the emergent pole; that is, they too do not be-
lieve in God. Similarly, the person checks each row until the entire grid is completed.
There are several versions of the Rep test and the repertory grid, but all are de-
signed to assess personal constructs. For example, a woman can see how her father
and boss are alike or different; whether or not she identifies with her mother; how
her boyfriend and father are alike; or how she construes men in general. Also, the
test can be given early in therapy and then again at the end. Changes in personal con-
structs reveal the nature and degree of movement made during therapy.
Kelly and his colleagues have used the Rep test in a variety of forms, and no
set scoring rules apply. Reliability and validity of the instrument are not very high,
and its usefulness depends largely on the skill and experience of the examiner
(Fransella & Bannister, 1977).
566 Part V Learning Theories