Psychological contructivism and the social world

What is the connection between a theory of knowledge and the social world? And, more specifically, what personal construct psychology (PCP) has to do with values such as social justice or empowerment?

Those who share an interest in PCP could, and maybe should give a contribution to issues of social and political importance, especially in the historical period we are going through, characterised as it is by economic inequalities, ethnic and religious conflicts, and environmental deterioration. However, the PCP community has not been showing enough interest in social and political matters up to now. As a consequence, it does not appear as a member of the emerging movement of critical psychology . And yet, what joins the main disciplinary components of critical psychology - that is, sociological critical theory, psychological social constructionism, philosophical hermeneutics - is the common theoretical critiques of how mainstream psychology pursues knowledge. Scientific knowledge - mainstream psychology claims - is about facts, not about values, and an accumulation of objective facts devoid of personal and political interests can solve all human problems. Kelly refused this view of knowledge fifty years ago. In the light of a postmodern view of knowledge, the claim that science is value-free is an illusion. We have no direct or immediate access to a real world independent of our interpretation. We are enmeshed in the world, embedded in a historical culture, which provides us with descriptions of possible meanings we can give to our realities, our lives, ourselves. In doing research, in helping clients, in training students, as well as in all our daily activities, we are carriers of values. This is a view that all personal construct psychologists can easily share. This volume wants to give a contribution in this direction offering new views in the fields of education, management, health and social services, assessment, counselling, clinical psychology and psychotherapy.

Scritti di : Tim Acton, Britt Marie Apelgren, Elvira Apraiz, Ann Bailey, Francesca Battistella, Richard Bell, Ilaria Bracardi, Vivien Burr, Trevor Butt, Gabriele Chiari, Lorenzo Cionini, Sabrina Cipolletta, Ray Clapp, Nelarine Cornelius, Beryl Crooks, Pam Denicolo, Dorota Dobosz, John M. Fisher, Mary Frances, Gary Fry, Maria A. Gee, Marco Gemignani, Nick Gilbert, John B. Gillies, Ian Gillman-Smith, Alessandra Iantaffi, Devi Jankowicz, Joy Jarvis, Devorah Kalekin-Fishman, Gillian L. Malins, Bettina Matt, Gillian M. Mayes, David M. Mills, Maria Laura Nuzzo, Lindsay G. Oades, Maria Cristina Ortu, Marie-Louise Österlind, Maureen Pope, Marijana Popovic, Gianluca Provvedi, Derek E. Purdy, Giada Racerro, Sergio Raffaelli, Dominik Maria Rosenauer, Nicole G. Rossotti, Phillida Salmon, Antonella Sapio, Indra Sinka, Thomas Slunecko, Linda L. Viney, Beverly M. Walker, Sue Watson, Graeme B. Wilson, David A. Winter, Adriano Zamperini.

Gabriele Chiari , MD, registered psychotherapist, is co-director of the School of Constructivist Psychotherapy at the "Centre for Studies in Cognitive Psychotherapy", CESIPc, of Florence; contract professor of constructivist psychotherapy at the University of Siena; teacher fellow of the "Italian Society of Behavior and Cognitive Therapy", SITCC, and of the "Italian Association of Constructivist Psychology and Psychotherapy", AIPPC; member of the editorial board of the "Journal of Constructivist Psychology"; convenor of the "European Personal Construct Association", EPCA, and of the International PCP Steering Group.

Maria Laura Nuzzo , clinical psychologist, registered psychotherapist, is Director of the "Centre of Constructivist Psychology and Psychotherapy", CPPC, of Rome; President of the "Italian Association of Constructivist Psychology and Psychotherapy", AIPPC; teacher fellow of the "Italian Society of Behavior and Cognitive Therapy", SITCC, and of the AIPPC; teacher of the School of Constructivist Psychotherapy at the CESIPc of Florence; member of the Ethical Committee of the "Italian Federation of the Associations of Psychotherapy", FIAP.