Chapter 9: Rational Emotive Therapy

   Rational Emotive Therapy was developed by Albert Ellis. This theory holds o to the concept that a humans, thoughts, feeling, and emotions are completely controllable by that individual. No one can be made to feel, think or do anything; it is a choice. He also stated that behavior is influenced 80% by biology (innate) and 20% by the environment. Despite these behavioral influences people have the capability to recognize what are good and bad behaviors and can subsequently choose to change those behaviors. In this theory humans are motivated  by the overall goal of 'surviving and being reasonably happy' in various situations such as when done, in social situations, working or in school, and others. A construct of this theory is the ABCs, where the A represents an antecedent event/activation experience/adversity/ After A, B or Beliefs, are then activated to serve as a filter for C, the consequences of the activating experience. These beliefs also may fall into two categories, rational or irrational. Goals are something everybody has an d when a goal is thwarted an 'activating experience' occurs. It's  also important for people to be able to recognize and separate the good and bad behavior of people form judgements of worth, good/bad behavior does not equal a good/bad person. The final construct is secondary disturbances which occurs when a new disturbance or activation experience triggers the ABC cycle and then due to poor reaction , such as irrational beliefs causes a new disturbance cycle in response to the negative consequence.
    Irrational beliefs are not uncommon in a university setting. Some student may easily believe that they must get good grades and succeed academically. This belief may further be pushed by parental and/or cultural influences. Some Asian Americans for example live under the concept of the "Asian F", successful grades are everything. This being the case an activating experience such as a bad grade could lead to a negative consequence such as unhealthy negative emotions. In following rational emotive therapy we may help students realize that they are responsible an able to control and change these thoughts and feeling that they cant be controlled by them.