Personality theories: humanistic (Garrett Moran)

What is included in the ‘third force’

1. behaviourist approach: ‘the first force’ - deterministic, stimulus-response behaviour, dependent on animal research

2. psychodynamic approach: ‘the second force’ - deterministic, with unconscious instinctive forces determining thought and behaviour

3. the humanistic approach is often called the ‘third force’ in psychology (Maslow, 1968)

• Humanistic psychology is often referred to as the “Third Force” (Maslow, 1968) because it emerged in response to the deterministic assumptions of the behaviourist “First Force,” which focused on stimulus–response learning, and the psychodynamic “Second Force,” which emphasised unconscious drives, instead highlighting human free will, personal growth, and self-actualisation

What is a strength of the humanistic approach

unlike earlier deterministic theories, it recognises individual agency and the capacity for self-actualisation, offering a more optimistic view of human behaviour

What is a limitation of the humanistic approach

critics argue that the humanistic “Third Force” lacks empirical evidence as its emphasis on subjective experience makes many concepts difficult to operationalise and empirically test

How did the humanistic approach in psychology develop

as a reaction against behaviourist and psychodynamic theories, which were seen as dehumanising because they neglected free will and subjective experience

What is humanistic psychology

the whole person, and the uniqueness of each individual

What are some of the key assumptions of the humanistic approach

• every person is unique

  • idiographic so avoid generalising

• free will and self-determination

  • control our own lives

  • contrast with other approaches as it is not deterministic

  • free to make our own decisions, responsible for our own actions

• holistic

  • whole is greater than the sum of the parts

  • little point isolating single aspects of life

• scientific method not appropriate

  • too detached and objective as we are subjective in how we think and behave

• self-actualisation

  • innate drive to achieve full potential

  • hierarchy of needs (Maslow)

  • self and congruence (Rogers)

What is the central belief of self-actualisation

that we have an innate desire to achieve our full potential

• achieving this through self-actualisation

How does Maslow promote self-actualisation

his approach is based on his Hierarchy of Needs

How did Rogers promote self-actualisation

his focus is on the Self and Congruence

What do both Maslow and Rogers argue on in self-actualisation

that achieving self-actualisation is the ultimate feeling of satisfaction and well-being

What is Maslow’s humanistic view of personality

Maslow proposed an optimistic, humanistic approach that focuses on psychological health, growth, and human potential, suggesting that everyone is born with innate needs that drive development and self-fulfilment

What are the two types of human motivations from Maslow

• deficiency motives

  • basic needs that people are driven to satisfy (e.g. hunger, thirst, need for safety)

    • the deficiency of these motives creates a negative state that can only be changed by satisfying them

• growth motives

  • uniques to individuals, these needs are related to developing one’s potential and personal growth

What are the five Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs

• physiological needs

• safety needs

• social needs

• esteem needs

• self-actualisation

once a need was satisfied, the next level of unsatisfied need became a motivator, and if we didn’t have access to gain those needs that it would lead to de-motivation

Describe what is physiological needs

requirement for food, clothes, and shelter, in relation to work

• its the need to earn income to acquire these things and to have reasonable working conditions

Describe what is safety needs

need for security, a secure job, safe working environment, clear lines of accountability and responsibility

Describe what is social needs

desire for friendship, love and a sense of belonging, being a part of a team, facilities (like staff rooms, canteens, etc.)

Describe what is esteem needs

need to have self-respect and respect from others, positive feedback, gain recognition and status for achievement and opportunities from promotion

Describe what is self-actualisation

need to fulfil one’s potential through actions and achievements

• Maslow did not believe this need could be fulled fully and thought people would always strive to develop further and achieve more

Describe what is included in Rogers self and congruence concept

the self-concept, ideal self, the real self, and congruence

• self-concept: this is the ‘self’ you feel about yourself (e.g. self-esteem)

• ideal self: this is the self you want to be

• real self: this is the person you are

What do you need to achieve self-actualisation

you need to be congruent (in agreement)

• real self and ideal self need to match up

For Maslow, psychological difficulties result from

specific needs not being met

For Rogers, psychological difficulties result from

a block to our actualising potential

• unconditional positive regard - accepting and valuing a person for who they are

• conditions of worth - things we do to receive unconditional positive regard from others that affect our self-concept

According to humanistic theory, what promotes self-actualisation

to maximise the chance of self-actualisation and develop as a psychologically healthy adult a child should have a few conditions of worth and receive unconditional positive regard

• as an adult, when we achieve our goals and desires, we self-actualise

What happens if there is too much of a gap between the self and ideal self

these negative feelings of self worth will not allow self-actualising

What are the key principles of Rogers Client Centred Therapy

• focus on creating a supportive environment for the client:

  • the therapist offers empathy, congruence, and unconditional positive regard

  • the client is seen as the expert of their own experience, and therapy is non-directive

What are the goals of Rogers Client Centred Therapy

• encourage self-awareness and self-acceptance

• promote personal growth and psychological well-being

What is Rogers’ explanation of psychological difficulties and the role of the therapist

Rogers suggested that problems arise from a lack of unconditional positive regard in childhood, where love is made conditional

• e.g. some parents set boundaries (I won’t love you if….)

• the therapist’s role is to provide unconditional positive regard to help the client resolve difficulties and reach their full potential

What is Rogers’ client-centred counselling and the role of the therapist

Rogers argued that psychological problems result from conditional positive regard

• he developed client-centred counselling, where the therapist acts as a facilitator by providing empathy, unconditional positive regard, and congruence

• through careful listening and reflection (gains an understanding), the therapist helps clients understand themselves and feel accepted, enabling them to be their true selves and reach their potential

What are the strengths of Rogers’ humanistic (client-centred) approach

• influential modern therapy; widely used in the UK and USA

• applicable to education, social work, healthcare, and workplaces (high face validity)

What are the limitations of Rogers’ humanistic (client-centred) approach

• non-directive and focused on self-discovery, making it less suitable for severe psychological disorders

• emphasises the present rather than exploring past experience