humanistic approach

What is the humanistic approach? And its beliefs?

The third force - alongside behaviourism and psychodynamic approach

• People are self-determining - have free will

• Psychology should be concerned with subjective experiences, not general laws

• Person-centred appraoch

How do the humanistic approach believe in free will?

• People have full conscious control over their own destiny

• We are able to make significant personal choices within the constraints imposed by other factors (biological and social influences)

• See people as ‘active agents’ + we have ‘personal agency’ - the ability to make choices

What is the hierarchy of needs?

Maslow - psychology of becoming

• Lowest level - deficiency needs - basic biological needs

• Safety and security needs - home, employment, good health

• Love and belongingness - friendship, intimacy, accepted by others

• Self esteem - confidence, achievement, respected

• Self-actualisation

We have an innate tendency to try to fulfil our potential by trying to satisfy the needs progressively up the hierarchy

*must be met in order

What was Maslow’s research into the hierarchy of needs?

Case studies of figures who he has seem to be self-actualised

(Culture bias - only US figures)

What are the characteristics of a self-actualiser?

• Efficient perceptions of reality - able to judge situations correctly and honestly

• Comfortable acceptance - accept their own human nature with all its flaws

• Reliant on own experiences and judgement - independent, not reliant on others to from opinions

• Spontaneous and natural - true to oneself, being themself

• Task centring - have a mission to fulfil in life

• Autonomy - free from reliance on external authorities

• Continued freshness of appreciation - constantly renew appreciation of life’s basic goods

• Profound interpersonal relationships - relationships marked by deep loving bonds

• Comfort with solitude - comfortable being alone

• Non-hostile sense of humour - able to laugh at oneself

• Peak experiences - experiences marked by feelings of ecstasy, harmony, deep meaning

• Socially compassionate - possessing humanity

• Few friends - few close intimate friends

What are Roger’s ideas?

Rogers - psychology of being

Concept of personal growth - becoming fulfilled and goal-oriented

• Must have congruence between our self-concept and the ideal self

Lack of unconditional positive regard in childhood - feelings off worthlessness = problems later in life

Client-centred therapy

• Unconditional positive regard

• Empathy

• Genuineness

What are the parts of self concept?

• Self image - how you see yourself

• Ideal self - who you want to be

• Self esteem - how much you like and accept yourself

What is congruence and incongruence?

• Congruence - when the self image and ideal self overlap - in agreement

• Incongruence - when the self image and ideal self don’t match - in disagreement

What are the characteristics of high and low self worth?

High self worth

• Welcomes challenge

• Accepts failure

• Can self-actualise

Low self worth

• Cannot accept failures or challenges

• Problems with intimacy

• Cannot self-actualise

What is unconditional positive regard?

Where parents lose and accept their children regardless of their behaviour - no conditions that the children has to meet in order to be positively viewed

What are conditions of worth?

Where standards are placed on the child by a parent which they believe they must be met if they are to be accepted

Q sort