Cognitive Theory Of Personality

The cognitive theory propounded by George Kelly is a reaction against both Freudian and Rogerian theories and is focused on cognition. George Kelly attributed most of man’s behavior to such processes as thinking, judging and anticipating rather than to instincts, drives, growth or other such motivating forces. Kelly interpreted an event, a situation, or the world as the primary influence on behavior. His system is highly rational in perspective. It is based on his firm conviction that each man is capable of being a scientist and can construct his own theory and that each man, to a great extent, is able to control and predict his own life. He can avoid that complexity of motivation. He assumes that man has the energy necessary for the active organism that he is “The organism is delivered fresh into the psychological world alive and struggling. Thus in one grand gesture, Kelly swept away an issue that had bogged down personality theory for a long time.