About the Authors ix
Preface xi
Acknowledgements xiii
1. The Basis of Repertory Grid Technique 1
Grids: What Are They? 1
The Grid as Part of Personal Construct Theory 5
Grids: a Measure of What? 5
Grids are about Constructs 7
Some Personal Construct Theory Corollaries 9
Different Kinds of Construct 12
Constructs in Transition 12
Conclusions 12
2. Constructs And Elements 15
What is an Element? 15
What is a Construct? 15
Elements in a Grid 18
The Nature and Types of Constructs in a Grid 23
Ways of Eliciting Personal Constructs from 'Elements' 27
Eliciting Personal Constructs in Ways other than from 'Elements' 30
Eliciting Constructs from Constructs 39
To Elicit or to Supply Constructs? 46
Classification of Constructs 49
Which are more Important in a Grid - Elements or Constructs? 50
Constructs and Elements: the Debate 50
Comment 52
3. Varieties Of Grid In Use Today 54
The Grid Form of the Role Construct Repertory Test 54
The Split-Half Method of Allocating Elements 56
A Grid Using Rankings 56
A Grid Using Ratings 59
Implications and Resistance-to-Change Grids 65
Resistance-to-Change Grid 70
A Bipolar Implications Grid 73
Dependency Grid 76
A Textual Grid 78
A Qualitative Grid 79
Comment 80
4. Analyzing Grid Data 82
Repertory Grids 82
Analyzing Constructs 83
Analyzing Elements 91
Joint Representations of Constructs and Elements 93
Representations of Multiple Repertory Grid Data 98
Dependency Grids 101
Implications Grids 104
Comments 108
5. Some Summary Measures Of Structure 113
Cognitive Complexity 114
Extremity and Ordination 121
Conflict 122
Element Indices 124
Measures of Superordinacy 126
Measures of Intransitivity 127
Implications Grids 128
Dependency Grids 129
Comment 130
6. Reliability and Validity 132
Reliability 132
Conclusions 143
Validity 143
Conclusions 151
7. Specific Ways Of Using Grids 153
The Individual and the Grid 154
A Decision-Making Grid 162
Wholly or Partially Standardized Grid Formats 163
Conclusions 167
8. Some Uses To Which Grids Have Been Put 168
Grids in General 169
In the Clinical Setting 170
Working with Children 188
Teachers and Teaching 192
The Construing of Professionals 195
Those With Learning Difficulties 196
Social Relationships 199
Language 204
Dependency 210
The Use and Abuse of Drugs 211
The Family 212
Forensic Work 213
Maps, Planning and Environment 215
Market Research 217
Politics 218
Careers 219
Sport 220
Organizational and Business Applications 220
More Unusual Uses of Grids 226
Appendix Computer Programs and Websites 230
References 232
Author Index 258
Subject Index 262