HUMANISTIC APPROACH

ASSUMPTIONS - what is cirrelated with the humanistic approach

• self actualisation

• Free will

• Positive view of human nature

• Importance of subjective experience

• The self

• Personal responsibility

• Unconditional positive regard

What side of free will vs determinism is the humanistic approach on

Free will

regarding free will vs determinism, what side of the debate are other on approaches

• other approaches are deterministic in the way they suggest our behaviour is entirely/partly shaped by forces outside of our control

WHAT DOES THE HUMANISTIC APPROACH CLAIM REGARDING FREE WILL

It states we are self determining with free will. Even though people are still affected by external influences, we’re active agents with the ability and choice to determine our unique development. We shouldnt seek to develpp general laws on behaviour but should concentrate on an individuals subjective experience

MASLOW SELF ACTUALISATION

• every human has innate tendancy to achieve full potential and become best they can be. Self actualisation is highest level of potential.

MASLOW HIERARCHY

Physiological needs, safety needs, belonging and love needs, esteem needs, self actualisation

PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS

Food, water, sex, warmth, rest

SAFETY NEEDS

Security, safety

BELONGING AND LOVE NEEDS

Friends, intimate relationships

ESTEEM NEEDS

Prestige, feeling accomplished

SELF ACTUALISATION

Full potential

HOW DO HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGISTS REGARD SELF ACTUALISATION

Regard self actualisation and personal growth as essential part of being human. Not everyone manages this and there are psychological barriers that prevent someone from reaching full potential.

WHAT DOES ROGERS SAY ABOUT THE SELF

Rogers states that to be a healthy individual we must have congruence (agreement between actual and ideal self). If there’s big gap between actual and ideal self, we cant self actualise.

What does a gap between ideal and actual self create

This creates incongruence with low self esteem.

What did Rogers say issued in adult life were rooted to

Rogers argued that many issues people had in adult life rooted from being in state of incongruence

As adults what do we feel due to incongruence

As adults we feel worthless + have low self esteem due to gap between who we are and who we want to be

UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD AND CONDITIONS OF WORTH - rogers

He felt many of our issues stemmed from childhood, where due to lack of unconditional positive regard /love from parents, we develop negative views of ourselves. Lack of UPR is from parents who put conditions of worth on us

What is an example of a condition of worth

e.g. i will only love you if…

INFLUENCE ON COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY

Rogers’ counselling therapy focuses on helping the client be successful and self actualise in order to reduce incongruence.

What is good about Rogers’ counselling therapy

It is non- directive and avoids power relationships - doesnt call client “patient” and no pretence of being “expert”. No interpretations or challenges - client has all answers and role of therapist is to facilitate clients understanding of needs. Non directive and avoids power relationships - doesnt call client “patient” and no pretence of being “expert”.

What is Rogers’ counselling therapy based on

Based on organismic valuing - client knows best.

What skills does therapy use

Unconditional positive regard, empathy, genuineness and active listening

STRENGTH: POSITIVE APPROACH

• praised for “bringing the person back into psychology”. Promotes positive image of humans.

• Freud saw us as slaves to our past; humanism is optimistic - sees all people as good + striving to be the best

WEAKNESS - CULTURAL BIAS

• BIAS

• self actualisation would be seen as sign of healthy development by people from individualistic cultures

• Wouldnt be seen in same way by collectivist cultures where focus is on needs of community + as a goal to work towards

WEAKNESS - LACKS SCIENTIFIC RIGOUR

• concepts like self actualisation and congruence are subjective + hard to observe and measure under scientific conditions

• Aim of client centred therapy is to increase self understanding

• Difficult thing to measure

STRENGTH - PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS, INCREASING VALIDITY

• maslows ideas have been influential in business and management as it became recognised that if employer provided food, friendship, social relationships and healthy activities as well as oppourtunity for educational development, this means employees would be more productive with higher levels of functioning at work

EXPLAINS HUMAN BEHAVIOUR IN HOLISTIC WAY

• humanistic psychologists reject reductionism to human behaviour and experiences, e.g. breaking down human behaviour to smallest components like genes

• They argue that subjective experience can only be understood by considering person as a whole as well as their unique experiences and interactions

• This is holism

• Its more valid as it considers meaningful human behaviour in a real life context