PSY405 Notes Lecture 38

ALBERT ELLIS – THEORY OF PERSONALITY

Albert Ellis basically said one bold thing: “People don’t get emotionally disturbed because of events. They get disturbed because of how they THINK about those events.” That’s it. That’s the core. Everything else in the lesson is just explaining and applying this idea.

1️⃣ Irrational Beliefs – What are they?

Definition (simple):

Irrational beliefs are illogical, unrealistic, extreme thoughts that we believe so strongly that they mess up our emotions and behavior. They usually contain words like:

must · should · always · never · everyone · at any cost · Examples from daily life

“A black cat crossing my path means something bad WILL happen.” “Number 13 is unlucky.” “If I fail once, I am a failure forever.” “I must please my boss or I’m worthless.” 👉 These beliefs are not facts. They’re stories our brain tells us.

2️⃣ Where do these irrational beliefs come from?

Ellis says we learn them. Nobody is born thinking “I must be perfect”.

Sources (socialization):

Socialization = the process by which we learn beliefs, values, and behaviors from society. We learn irrational beliefs from: Parents (“Log kya kahenge”) Teachers (“Only toppers are successful”) Friends & peers Religion (when misinterpreted) Culture & traditions Media, films, books, social media 💡 Over time, these beliefs become automatic. We don’t even question them.

3️⃣ The BIG misunderstanding Ellis corrects

Most people think: Event → Emotion Example: “I failed → I became depressed” Ellis says ❌ WRONG. Instead: Event → Belief → Emotion This leads us to the famous…

4️⃣ · 4️⃣ A-B-C Theory (CORE CONCEPT) · A = Activating Event

Any event that happens in your life. Examples: Failing an exam Breakup Criticism from boss Not getting selected 👉 A itself is neutral. It has no emotion.

B = Belief

What you tell yourself about the event. This is the most important part. Beliefs can be:

Rational (logical, flexible, realistic) · Irrational (illogical, extreme, rigid) · C = Consequence

Your emotional and behavioral reaction. Examples:

Anxiety Anger