When a person can no longer tolerate incompatible constructs, what condition do they experience?

The experience of anxiety occurs when a person can no longer tolerate incompatible constructs within Kelly's Personal Construct Theory. In this context, constructs are the mental frameworks or categories through which individuals interpret and understand their experiences. When a person encounters contradictory or conflicting constructs—meaning their established understanding of the world is challenged—they can feel a sense of dissonance or unease.

Anxiety arises from this internal conflict as individuals struggle to reconcile their differing perceptions. It serves as a signal that their existing constructs are insufficient to accommodate new information or experiences. Consequently, anxiety can motivate individuals to re-evaluate and adjust their constructs in order to regain a sense of psychological coherence and comfort.

While fear, stress, and confusion might also relate to difficulties in understanding or managing one's constructs, anxiety is the most accurate term that captures the specific psychological discomfort associated with this conflict in Kelly's theory.