Cognitive Complexity and Construct Extremity in Social and Life Event Construing in Persons with Varied Trauma History

• Main Author: Shafenberg, Stacey
• Other Authors: Sewell, Kenneth W.
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: University of North Texas 2006
• Subjects: complexity; extremity; trauma; Psychic trauma.; Thought and thinking.; Cognition.; Personal construct theory.
• Online Access: https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc5433/

The purpose of this study was to examine cognitive complexity, extremity, and the relationship between social repertory grids and life events repertory grids (LERG) in people who report a history of trauma. Effects of type of trauma on complexity and extremity scores of each type of grid were examined. Prior research into repertory grids and trauma has used only one type of grid, predominantly social grids or LERGs. Therefore, a natural, progressive step in the grid research involved investigating how individuals integrate social and life event constructs. It was hypothesized, and results show, that there is a positive correlation between complexity scores and extremity scores of social grids and LERGs. However it was not found that there was a negative correlation between trauma history and complexity scores, and that trauma acts as a moderator for cognitive complexity. Instead, it appears that the social facet of experience is key to understanding perception of traumatic experiences. Additionally, number of traumas experienced might affect social construct elaboration.