Module 57: Humanistic Theories

How do humanistic theories view personality?

With a focus on the potential for healthy personal growth

According to Maslow, what is self-actualization?

The motivation to fulfill one’s potential

What is the order of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs from most important to least important?

Physiological, safety, love, self-esteem, self-actualization, self-transcendence

What three conditions does Rogers’ growth-promoting climate require?

Genuineness, acceptance, and empathy

According to Rogers, what is unconditional positive regard?

An attitude of total acceptance toward another person

What is a self-concept?

All our thoughts and feelings about ourselves in answer to the question “who am I?”

Which psychologist described personality in terms of fundamental traits?

Gordon Allport

What are traits?

Characteristic patterns of behavior and conscious motives

What is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)?

A questionnaire evaluating psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions

What is factor analysis?

A statistical procedure used to identify clusters of test items that tap basic components of intelligence

What was Eysenck’s model of personality?

We can reduce our normal individual variations to two dimensions: extraversion-introversion and emotional stability-instability

What is a personality inventory?

A questionnaire on which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors

What is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)?

The most widely researched and clinically used personality test that was originally developed to identify emotional disorders

What is an empirically derived test?

A test developed by testing a pool of items and then selecting those that discriminate between groups

What are the Big Five Factors?

Conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness, and extraversion