7. The humanist approach

Free will

The ability to act at one’s own discretion (E.g. choose how to behave despite or in the absence of influence from internal or external forces)

Hierarchy of needs

A motivational theory proposed by Maslow, often displayed as a pyramid of needs. The most basic needs are at the bottom and miss be met for the individual to progress to meeting higher needs at the top.

Self-actualisation

The complete realisation of one’s potential and the full development of one’s abilities and appreciation for life. It manifests in certain peak experience (so not experienced all day everyday). This concept is at the top of the hierarchy of needs, so not every human being reaches it.

Self

Our personal identity. Used synonymously with the terms “self image” and “self concept”

Congruence

The match/consistency between the perceived self (how you see yourself) and the ideal self (the self you would like to be)

Unconditional positive regard

When the love and acceptance given by others is unconditional. The individual is accepted regardless of who they are or what they say or do.

Conditional regard

When an individual is only loved and accepted if they meet certain conditions of worth

Conditions of worth

These are the conditions that significant others put upon the individual and they must achieve these if they are to be accepted or loved. When an individual receives conditional positive regard they develop conditions of worth

What are the 5 assumptions of the humanist approach?

1. All humans have free will, not all behaviour is determined

2. All individuals are unique and should be viewed as individuals

3. Everyone wants to self-actualise, innate drive to reach maximum potential

4. An proper understanding of human behaviour can only be achieved by studying humans, not animals

5. Psychology should study the individual case (idiographic), rather that the average of performance of groups (nomothetic)

Who developed humanism?

Rogers and Maslow

When was humanism developed?

1950s

What did humanism become known as?

The third force in psychology, alongside behaviourism and the psychodynamic approach

Expand on free will (assumption 1)

Unlike most other approaches, humanistic theories emphasise that people have full conscious control over their destiny. This does not mean that we are not subject to many other internal and external forces, including biological and societal influences, however humanistic psychologists believe that humans are able to make significant personal choices about their behaviour.

What is Maslow’s theory of self-actualisation?

• Maslow developed a theory of human motivation. He suggested that everyone has an innate drive to reach their potential, humans have intrinsic motivation to grow, develop and eventually self-actualise (which occurs when all their needs are met).

• Self actualisation= when you have reached your potential, becoming everything you are capable of becoming

• Achieving your full potential/becoming your ideal self is a state of self-actualisation

• Moments of self-actualisation can be seen in peak moments of ecstasy or extreme inspiration

• Maslow believed that the human condition was one of ‘wanting’, always seeking and desiring something. Our actions are motivated by certain needs.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

• what is at top and bottom?

• How do you progress?

• What happens when all the needs are met?

• The Hierarchy of Needs is often shown as a pyramid.

• The most basic physiological needs (e.g. food and shelter) are represented at the bottom and these are the most difficult to ignore. The most advanced needs focussing on self-esteem such as respect and fulfilment are nearer the top.

• Each level must be fulfilled before a person can move up to a higher need. As one need is met, humans turn their attention to other ‘higher’ needs and in that way their future plans can change.

• Maslow argued that those who had all their needs met achieved self-actualisation.if we don’t meet the ‘deficiency’ needs this can lead to poor mental health.

What are the 5 levels of the Hierarchy of Needs and what do they mean?

1. Physiological needs- needs the individual requires in order to survive (e.g. food, shelter, warmth)

2. Safety needs- needs an individual requires to feel safe. They are not as demanding as the needs on first level but still essential (e.g. safety, security, freedom from fear)

3. Belonging and Love- social needs, not essential for survival but play a major role (e.g. friends, family, partner)

4. Self-esteem- how we feel about ourselves. If this is not satisfied cause inferiority complex (e.g. achievement, recognition, respect)

5. Self-actualisation- reaching full potential (e.g. pursue inner talent, creativity, accurate perception of the world, free of all inhibition and fear, acceptance of all others, fulfilment)

According to Rogers what are the 2 basic needs that people have

• positive regard from other people

• Feeling of self worth (ie. What we think about ourselves)

How do feelings of self worth develop?

Feelings of self-worth develop in childhood and are formed as a result of the child’s interaction with parents. Further interactions with significant others (friends, spouses) etc. also influence the person’s feelings of self worth

according to Roger what determines psychology health?

Rogers believed that how we think about ourselves, and our feelings of self-worth, are important in determining our psychological health. The closer our self-concept and our ideal self (who we feel we should be or would like to be) are to each other, the greater our feeling of self-worth and the greater our psychological health

Rogers’ theory of conditions of worth

• what is conditional positive regard and what can it lead to

• what is unconditional positive regard and what can it lead to

• What are conditions of worth and how do people develop them?

• conditional positive regard= When you are only loved/accepted if you meet certain conditions/expectations- leads to incongruence and low self worth

• unconditional positive regard= the love and acceptance given by others without provision- leads to congruence

• Rogers believed that more often than not others hindered self-actualisation.

• When people experience conditional positive regard they develop conditions of worth. These are the conditions that they perceive significant others (e.g. parents/spouse) put upon them, and which they believe have to be in place if they are to be accepted by others and see themselves positively.

• An individual may only experience a sense of self acceptance if they meet the conditions of worth

• Conditional regard can be gained overtly, being told directly, or indirectly, by witnessing a sibling causing parents disappointment. If a child feels as if conditions are attached to their worth they are unlikely to achieve congruence

Client Centred Therapy

• humanism led the positive psychology movement which began in the 1970s and is of great influence to a variety of methods of counselling and therapy today.

• Client centred therapy was developed by Carl Rogers.

• The client should not be seen as sick, so is not referred to as a patient

• The client is an expert on their own condition, not the therapist

• This is a non-directive approach and the therapist’s role is to act as a ‘guide’ rather than an expert

• The client discovers their barriers and comes up with the solution themselves in a warm and supportive setting, non judgemental environment

• The therapist should provide the client with

  • Genuineness

  • Empathy

  • Unconditional positive regard

• Aim: increase self worth, reduce incongruence, help person to become more fully functioning

Impact of client centred therapy on CBT

‘Third wave’ CBT integrates humanistic ideas with methods of cognitive behavioural therapy.

AO3 research cons

P- issues with humanistic research methods

E- humanistic approach uses concepts that cannot be measured scientifically as they are too vague (e.g. concept of self actualisation). Psychologists would argue that without experimental evidence evaluation of a theory becomes difficult and therefore it is impossible to verify validity.

E- it is not falsifiable as it cannot be tested with at least the possibility of being proven untrue. Furthermore, the approach rejected the scientific method

L- challenges a fundamental requirement if scientific psychology

AO3- issues

P- humanistic approach has been criticised for being culturally biased.

E- many of the ideas that are central to humanistic psychology, such as individual freedom, autonomy and personal growth are more readily associated with individualstic cultures in the Western World. Whereas collectivist cultures emphasise the needs of the group and community over the individual

E- Nevis challenges Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as the research found that in China belongingness was deemed more fundamental than physiological needs.

L- therefore, it can be argued that the humanistic approach is culturally biased and is a product of the cultural context in which it was developed, challenging its validity and usefulness

AO3 application

P- Rogers and humanists revolutionised therapy with his client based approach and most counselling techniques have developed from this

E- a number of therapies have developed from humanism; one of these is client centred therapy, which is often known as counselling. The aim is for the client to resolve their problems themselves with the support of the counsellor as a guide. This is drastically different from Freud’s psychoanalysis in which the therapist diagnosed the ‘patient’ and prescribed them a solution.

E- client centred therapy integrates humanistic ideas with methods of CBT. Research by Elliot has evidenced its effectiveness as the meta-analysis showed significant improvement in clients when compared with outcomes from other treatments (e.g. psychoanalysis)

L- the positive contribution to mental health practices demonstrates the real world value the humanist approach has.