Ideological dimension implicit in kelly's theory of personal constructs

Abstract

Much has been written about the epistemological, ontological, and psychological dimensions of Kelly's theory of personal constructs. The ideological dimension of the theory has yet to be adequately addressed. This seems surprising given the highly polemical nature of the theory's nascent and subsequent growth and development. Despite these polemics, however, constructs have been used in a neutral and descriptive way. There is no dispute that constructs are an integral form of what has previously been referred to as knowledge, feelings, values, and behavior (Landfield & Leitner, 1980). However, they are also intrinsically ideological. Making explicit the ideological dimension implicit in our personal constructions is important because it reveals the kind of future we anticipate for ourselves and others.