George kelly (1963) has been called the father of cognitive psychotherapy along with aaron beck, albert ellis, maybe the greek philosopher epictetus, who in the first century AD said it is not the event itself that determines our behavior but how we perceive the event, and even evagrius, the fourth century monk who cataloged eight logismoi ,a combination of thoughts and passions, which were later condensed into the seven capital sins.Cognitive learning theory ppt how this paternity suit will be settled is not clear but, at least, kelly is named as one of the fathers.

Kelly falls into the modernist correspondence tradition of critical realism which states we are continually updating our constructs or schemas or maps to approximate reality.Cognitive learning theory ppt as scientists we revise our hypotheses to fit the data. The postmodernist constructivist tradition, in contrast, says we can only be aware of the world as it appears in our mind (phenomena), not the world as it is in itself (noumena).Cognitive learning theory ppt so we create our world rather than discover the world. As artists we fashion a world congenial to our liking.

We look for repetitions around us and then formulate constructs or representations to map our world.Cognitive learning theory ppt the mind looks for order and then imposes that order in the form of templates on our experiences and the world. Like scientists we develop theories and hypotheses that will help predict future events, thus reducing uncertainty.Cognitive learning theory ppt we then run experiments to test our hypotheses. If our predictions about reality are confirmed, the construct is useful and we use it again.Cognitive learning theory ppt if it is not confirmed, the construct is revised or abandoned. Or, if we’re neurotic — that is, a poor scientist — we keep it anyway.

I’d like to go through a few of kelly’s corollaries and trace how they show up in the enneagram styles.Cognitive learning theory ppt I’ve done some of this in my book nine lenses on the world, the enneagram perspective (2010). I leave it to the reader to decide whether, in linking kelly and the enneagram, I am approximating reality in the correspondence tradition or just making it up in the constructivist tradition.Cognitive learning theory ppt

Kelly begins with his corollary of constructive alternativism. We are free to construe reality any way we wish, but then we are determined by our belief system.Cognitive learning theory ppt we’re not stuck with our hypotheses or the way we are. We can change our belief system; but once inside our construct system we are constrained by the rules of that particular paradigm.Cognitive learning theory ppt so if you believe the world is flat, when you come up to the edge of your world, you will stop and pull back. If you believe the earth is round, you can keep going without fear of falling off.Cognitive learning theory ppt

Each enneagram style lives within a paradigm or worldview which provides a set of rules about what to look for and what to look out for; what to pay attention to and what to ignore; what to do and what you’re not allowed to do.Cognitive learning theory ppt you can put yourself inside any enneagram style. But once inside, you are governed and constrained by the customs of that style. For example:

cognitive learning theory ppt

FIVES say they find it difficult to connect with and express their feelings. They also don’t see much logic or value in doing so. Their paradigm directs them to their head.Cognitive learning theory ppt FIVES are clear thinkers but vague feelers. FOURS find it difficult to detach from their feelings and can’t imagine life being worthwhile without them.Cognitive learning theory ppt TWOS also have no trouble feeling but would like to think straight. Their paradigms lead them to their hearts.

SIXES find it difficult and dangerous to relax or take their mind off their problems.Cognitive learning theory ppt their rules say: “don’t get caught off guard or blind-sided.” NINES prefer not to look at their problems. Their paradigm says: “the problem will go away if you don’t give it any energy.” SEVENS say “what problems?” because their strategy is to find the positive in the problematic.Cognitive learning theory ppt

Kelly’s commonality corollary states that: “to the extent that one person employs a construction of experience which is similar to that employed by another, his psychological processes are similar to the other person.” so it is not common experiences that make people similar but the fact that they construe their experiences in a similar way.Cognitive learning theory ppt

Science, he proposes, is a very subjective enterprise. Most researchers (enneagram types) share a common set of assumptions or beliefs about their subject matter.Cognitive learning theory ppt in kuhn’s view a paradigm is “the entire constellation of beliefs, values, and techniques shared by the members of a given scientific community (enneagram style).” for those scientists (enneagram types) accepting a given paradigm, it becomes the way of looking at and analyzing the subject matter of their science.Cognitive learning theory ppt once a paradigm is accepted, the activities of those accepting it become a matter of exploring the implications of that paradigm.

Although a paradigm restricts the range of phenomena scientists (enneagram types) examine, it does guarantee that certain phenomena are studied thoroughly, namely those the paradigm focuses on.Cognitive learning theory ppt but this might blind scientists (enneagram types) to other phenomena and perhaps better explanations for what they are studying. A paradigm, then, determines what constitutes a research problem and how the solution to that problem is sought.Cognitive learning theory ppt

For example, a psychoanalytic paradigm would instruct its practitioners to look inside the person for long-ago, deep-seated conflicts that need to be understood and felt; while a behavioral paradigm would have its adherents look outside the person to discover what reinforcers in the present environment are maintaining the person’s behaviors.Cognitive learning theory ppt while psychoanalysts are perfecting their paradigm, they might overlook what’s happening now. And while behaviorists are refining their paradigm, they might miss or be forbidden to consider what’s going on inside the person.Cognitive learning theory ppt both could use a bigger paradigm – which is what integrative approaches to psychotherapy are concocting.

Kelly’s individuality corollary states that: “persons differ from each other in their construction of events.” we are free to construe events as we wish.Cognitive learning theory ppt and how we construe the world is what makes each person unique. So each person within each enneagram style is going to make sense of the world in her and his own unique way.Cognitive learning theory ppt we are all different, as fours are want to remind us.

In short we have some things in common with everyone: we all make interpretations of the world; everyone has a construct system.Cognitive learning theory ppt we have some things in common with some other people: different types construe or interpret the world in a similar way. We have some things in common with no one: each individual has his or her own unique construct system.Cognitive learning theory ppt

For example the range of convenience of the five’s paradigm is really good for intellectual ideas, comprehensive systems, and objective analysis but feelings and sensations might fall outside the range of their paradigm and so they need to employ another paradigm, like the two’s or four’s, or one’s, for example, to take into account their own and others, feelings and gut reactions.Cognitive learning theory ppt

If the rules and range of convenience of your paradigm or enneagram style don’t solve your problems or meet all your needs, try the paradigm of another style.Cognitive learning theory ppt the solution might be found there. What’s difficult or almost impossible to do within your paradigm might be relatively easy for another paradigm.Cognitive learning theory ppt we’re free to change constructs and paradigms.

A construct also has a focus of convenience where the construct is maximally pertinent. Each enneagram style has a particular focus of attention that gives them an intuitive edge.Cognitive learning theory ppt each style sees some things clearly and more quickly than other styles because they are practiced in scanning for certain things. Experts know what they’re looking for.Cognitive learning theory ppt that’s why we go to specialists. Think about what you look for when you enter a room.

FOURS pick up rejection, disapproval, and being abandoned before anyone else senses this.Cognitive learning theory ppt they will also be attuned to the aesthetics of the room and the feeling tone of the group gathered in the room, being particularly sensitive to any suffering in the room.Cognitive learning theory ppt if there is any hidden feeling or communication between you and them, FOURS will intuit it.

EIGHTS will sense who has power in the room, those they may have to deal with as competitors for taking over the room.Cognitive learning theory ppt if they sense a vacuum of power, authority, or safety in the room, they immediately move to take control so they feel secure. As you are about to take charge, you may find yourself being relegated to the back of the hall by an EIGHT.Cognitive learning theory ppt

NINES can merge with people in the room and sense what it is like to be inside the skin of the other person. They easily empathize with others’ experience.Cognitive learning theory ppt this gives them an intuitive grasp of others’ needs, wants, thoughts, etc. They can also sense harmony, when things are fitting together, as well as disharmony, where there is conflict.Cognitive learning theory ppt but as the level of conflict in the room rises, the level of NINES’ awareness drops, occasionally to the point of falling sleep.

Kelly’s organization corollary states that “each person characteristically evolves, for his or her convenience in anticipating events, a construction system embracing ordinal relationships between constructs.” the answer to that “say what?” question is: people differ in how they organize their constructs in order to reduce contradictions and increase their predictive efficiency.Cognitive learning theory ppt

To determine what is your most basic construct, keep asking yourself why is this construct so important to you? When you run out of answers, you may have hit the bottom line.Cognitive learning theory ppt neimeyer (1985) used the example of a woman who described herself as “businesslike” as opposed to”emotional.” when asked why she chose to be viewed as business like, she said she regarded it as a “mature approach to life” as opposed to an “unstable” one.Cognitive learning theory ppt when asked why mature, she said it meant “being in control” as opposed to “being controlled by others.” when asked why it was important to be in control, she answered her very “survival” depended on it and the opposite of that was “death.” that’s about as bottom line as you can get.Cognitive learning theory ppt

On the note of playing around, I’d like to end by mentioning kelly’s technique of fixed-role therapy. Early on in his career, kelly coached dramatics in a junior college (in the middle of iowa this time).Cognitive learning theory ppt later, as a therapist, he presented his clients with a personality sketch and asked them to act it out, just as an actor or actress would play a part in a play.Cognitive learning theory ppt to enhance the development of new constructs, the personality of the person the client was asked to play was markedly different from the client’s own personality.Cognitive learning theory ppt so for a week or so, the client was instructed to act “as if” she were the person in the role she was playing.

Kelly suggested that neurotics have lost their ability to make-believe while healthy people make-believe all the time.Cognitive learning theory ppt so in the spirit of healthy integration, write out your description of an enneagram style you would like to emulate, pretend you are that type, and spend a week trying on that role.Cognitive learning theory ppt then try on another style. At the end of your experiments, you will have nine different outfits to wear and nine perspectives on the world.