CORE Beliefs

There are 3 main core beliefs that we use to make sense of the world around us.

These three core beliefs involve our understanding about:

• The World – beliefs about how the ‘world works’ (the world outside of ourselves).
• Others – beliefs about our relationships with other people and the social context (the mechanics of social relationships, social interactions and social settings).
• Self – beliefs we hold about ourselves (introspective beliefs).

Our CORE beliefs act like a filter through which we make sense of our experiences and attribute meanings to them.

Unfortunately, our beliefs may sometimes result in distorted or inaccurate assessments of our experiences leading to negative emotions or behaviours.

In this sense, our core beliefs may sometimes be thought of as self-limiting.

Measuring the Core Beliefs

The way we measure or gain an understanding into people’s core beliefs is through a process known as operationalisation.

Operationalisation involves creating concepts that can be measured that accurately represent the constructs being examined.

For these three core beliefs we use the following:

• The World – Self-efficacy and the Locus of Control.
• Others – Social Anxiety and Social Compliance.
• Self – Self-Esteem.

By measuring our core beliefs we can gain some insight into how resilient a person might be to the stresses and challenges they face in the course of their lives.

Research highlights a strong correlational relationship between a person’s core beliefs and their ability to cope with life, be happy and assume control over the path that their life follows.

Measuring, exploring and modifying these key belief systems lies at the heart of the CORE programme and is analagous to some of the central themes adopted by Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.