Some Reflections On Rational Beliefs

4114 Words17 Pages
SOME REFLECTIONS ON RATIONAL BELIEFS Windy Dryden Ph.D Goldsmiths University of London --------------------------------- Correspondence should be addressed to: Windy Dryden Ph.D, PACE, Goldsmiths College, New Cross, London SE14 6NW, England. Email: windy@thedrydens.clara.net This article was first published in: Neenan, M., & Dryden, W. (1999). Rational emotive behaviour therapy: Advances in theory and practice. London: Whurr (out of print) In this paper, a number of issues concerning the nature of rational beliefs will be discussed. In particular, a distinction will be made between partial and full rational beliefs which help to explain how people transform rational into irrational beliefs. It will also be argued that while a person cannot hold a full rational belief and its irrational equivalent at the very same time, she (in this case) can change from holding a full rational belief to holding its irrational equivalent and back again in very short order. The Nature, Characteristics and Types of Rational Beliefs In REBT theory, rational beliefs are deemed to be at the core of psychological health and a primary goal of REBT is to help clients to change their irrational beliefs into rational beliefs. What are rational beliefs? Basically, rational beliefs are viewed as the opposite of irrational beliefs. Thus, irrational beliefs are considered to be rigid and extreme in nature and rational beliefs are thus considered to be flexible and non-extreme. The defining characteristics of irrational beliefs are that they are inconsistent with reality, illogical and lead to predominantly unhealthy results for the individual and his (in this case) relationships as well as impeding his pursuit of his personally meaningful goals (i.e. they are unempirical, illogical and dysfunctional). Correspondingly, rational beliefs are deemed to be consistent with reality,
Open Document