The two faces of hostility: The implications of personal construct theory for understanding alienation

Abstract

Although Kelly did not deal with alienation directly, the theory of personal constructs makes an important contribution to a comprehensive understanding of this complex phenomenon. By relating to specific functions of the individual, personal construct psychology explains how alienation is perpetuated by the very people who are its victims. In this article, 1 point out the link of PCT with the phenomenon of alienation that confirms the implicit presence of the social in the personal construction of reality. This elaboration provides an interpretation of Kelly's theory that escapes the limitations of radical individualism and enhances our understanding of sociocultural processes.