George Kelly was a famed psychologist best known for his contributions to Personal Construct

Theory. George Kelly was born near Perth, Kansas. His parents, Theodore Vincent Kelly and Elfleda
Merriam Kelly, were poor but hard-working farmers. During much of his early life, Kelly's
education was limited to teachings from his parents. He did not receive any formal education
until 1918 when he attended school in Wichita, Kansas. At the age of 16, he started attending the
Friends' University academy and began taking college courses. Kelly never graduated high school,
but went on to earn his bachelor's degree in 1926, majoring in mathematics and physics.

Kelly initially planned on a career in engineering but abandoned that idea in favor of studying
educational sociology at the University of Kansas. Before completing his master's, however, he
left to enroll at the University of Minnesota. He had to withdraw from school when he found
himself unable to pay tuition.

In 1927, he found a position teaching psychology at Sheldon Junior College in Iowa.

In 1930, Kelly completed a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Iowa.

Career

Kelly began teaching at the Fort Hays Kansas State College in 1931. In the midst of the Great
Depression, Kelly started applying his knowledge towards something he found useful - evaluating
school children and adults - and developing his landmark theory.

During this time, he also established a traveling clinic that offered psychological services to
people throughout the state of Kansas.

As Kelly formed his theory, he studied the works of Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud for
ideas and inspiration. While Kelly appreciated Freud's work, he felt there were some problems
with the psychoanalyst's approach. In Freud's therapy, the therapist would provide the "correct
interpretation" of the client's situation, which Freud believed was the key to change.

After World War II, Kelly became a professor of psychology at Ohio State University where he
worked for almost 20 years. It was here that he formally developed his personal construct theory.
He published two texts called The Psychology of Personal Constructs, Volumes I and II which
summarized the majority of his theory.

Kelly's personal construct theory suggested that the differences between people result from the
different ways that we predict and interpret events in the world around us. Personal constructs,
he suggested, were the ways that each person gathers information, evaluates it, and develops
interpretations.

Much like a scientist forms a hypothesis, collects data, and analyzes the results, people also
take in information and perform their own "experiments" to test ideas and interpretations of
events. The results of our everyday investigations influence our personalities and our way of
interacting with our environment and the people around us.

Contributions to Psychology

Kelly played an important role in the development of clinical psychology, both through his
position at Ohio State University and through his leadership roles with the American
Psychological Association. His perspective that people are essentially natural scientists played
a role in the later development of cognitive-behavioral therapy. His work is part of the early
start of the cognitive movement in psychology and he is often described as one of the first
cognitive theorists.

Personal construct theory suggests that people develop personal constructs about how the world works. People then use these
constructs to make sense of their observations and experiences.

The world we live in is the same for all of us, but the way we experience it is different for each individual. For example, imagine that
you and your friend are going for a walk in the park and you spot a large brown dog.
You immediately see a graceful and adorable animal that you would like to pet. Your friend, on the other hand, sees a threatening
animal that she wants to avoid. How can two people have such a different interpretation of the same event?

According to psychologist George Kelly, personality is composed of the various mental constructs through which each person
views reality. Kelly believed that each person was much like a scientist. Just like scientists, we want to understand the world around
us, make predictions about what will happen next, and create theories to explain events.

Clinical Psychology Education

In the U.S., clinical psychologists usually have a doctorate in psychology and receive training
in clinical settings. The educational requirements to work in clinical psychology are quite
rigorous, and most clinical psychologists spend between four to six years in graduate school
after earning a bachelor's degree.

There are two different types of degrees available in clinical psychology - a Ph.D.and
a Psy.D. Generally speaking, Ph.D. programs are centered on research, while Psy.D. programs are
practice-oriented. Some students may also find graduate programs that offer a terminal master's
degree in clinical psychology.

Before choosing a clinical psychology program, students should always check to be sure that the
program is accredited by the American Psychological Association. After completing an accredited
graduate training program, prospective clinical psychologists must also complete a period of
supervised training and an examination.

Clinical Psychology Work Settings and Job Roles

Clinical psychologists often work in medical settings, private practice or in academic positions at universities and colleges. Some
clinical psychologists work directly with clients, often those who suffer from severe psychiatric disorders.

Some of the job roles performed by those working in clinical psychology include:

Assessment and diagnosis of psychological disorders

Treatment of psychological disorders

Offering testimony in legal settings

Teaching

Conducting research

Drug and alcohol treatment

Creating and administering program to treat and prevent social problems

Approaches to Clinical Psychology

Clinical psychologists who work as psychotherapists often utilize different treatment approaches when working with clients. While
some clinicians focus on a very specific treatment outlook, many use what is referred to as an eclectic approach. This involves
drawing on different theoretical methods to develop the best treatment plan for each individual client.

Some of the major theoretical perspectives within clinical psychology include:

Psychodynamic Approach: This perspective grew out of the work of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, who believed that
the unconscious mind played an important role in our behavior. Psychologists who utilize psychoanalytic therapy may use
techniques such as free association to investigate a client's underlying, unconscious motivations.
 Cognitive Behavioral Perspective: This approach to clinical psychology developed from the behavioral and cognitive
schools of thought. Clinical psychologists using this perspective will look at how a client's feelings, behaviors, and thoughts
interact. Cognitive-behavioral therapy often focuses on changing thoughts and behaviors that contribute to psychological
distress.

Humanistic Perspective: This approach to clinical psychology grew out of the work of humanist thinkers such as
Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers. This perspective looks at the client more holistically and is focused on such things
as self-actualization and helping people realize their full potential.

Is Clinical Psychology Right for You?

Clinical psychology is one of the most popular areas within psychology, but it is important to evaluate your interests before deciding
if this career is right for you. If you enjoy working with people and are able to handle stress and conflict well, clinical psychology may