ABSTRACT
The nature of a person's self-concept can be investigated using the Q-sort technique. The statements used in a Q-sort may be derived from clinical interviews with the participant or from other sources; there is no single standardized list. Individuals strive to behave in a manner consistent with their self-concept, and to elicit behavior from others that is congruent with it. People can only perceive and interpret events within the limits of their constructs, but have the freedom to revise their construct system in whole or in part if the old one is no longer useful. Subsequent observations may confirm or refute a hypothesis, and the well-adjusted response is to modify the construct system. Kelly found therapeutic value in exploring an individual's construct system to reveal where it needed modification due to evident inconsistencies, but the individual was unable or unwilling to do this without assistance.
