Constructs, Partnership and Contracting

What are Constructs?

All people have unique and distinct constructs.

Constructs are preconceived ideas and opinions that determine the way that we each see, make sense of and react to our day to day experiences. Constructs can be formed through our families, culture, heritage, history, traditions, norms and practices, friendships and by wider societal influences.

Can you think of some examples of the constructs you have about family work?

We store experience as constructs, and then look at the world through them. As people's experiences are different, their constructs are different.

Constructs fuse together our thoughts and feelings with our actions and behaviour.

Everyone takes in and processes information for meaning
Everyone constructs a model of the world
This helps people to anticipate and adapt to the world
Constructions develop from previous experience
Unique to the individual
Not necessarily conscious or verbal
Constant process of testing, clarification and change
Social perceptions, interaction and feelings determined by the constructions of others
Particular consideration of power - "power is defined as the ability to shape someone else's reality"

E-Learning

You can find more about Constructs on the Resilient Families E-Learning, available on the L and D portal