Humanistic Approaches

Psychological Approaches

Humanistic Approach

Key Features

  • Links with philosophical schools of phenomenology and existentialism.

  • Explores behavioural characteristics and emotional dynamics of full and healthy living.

  • Positive model of humanity that focuses on the uniquely human capacity to understand one's place in the world and relationships with others.

Humanistic Psychology

Key Features

  • Referred to as the "3rd Force" in psychology, opposing the following:

    • The bleak pessimism and despair inherent in psychoanalysis.

    • The robot conception of humans portrayed in behaviorism.

  • Assumptions:

    • Humans are innately capable of creativity and goodness.

    • Self-concept is a fundamental concern in mental health.

  • Emphasizes the role of the individual, giving people more credit in controlling and determining their mental health state.

  • Takes environmental influences into account, acknowledging that both internal thoughts and desires and external environments shape experiences.

Humanistic Psychology & Therapy

  • Individuals strive for "self-actualisation".

  • Key focus is on the "whole" person and what is important in the here and now.

  • Influential figures:

    • Abraham Maslow

    • Carl Rogers

    • Viktor Frankl

  • Carl Rogers suggests three qualities necessary for caring relationships in therapy:

    • Empathy: The ability to identify with the patient's feelings without actually feeling them alongside the client.

    • Unconditional positive regard: Acceptance and support regardless of the client's actions.

    • Genuineness (honesty): Being authentic in interactions with clients.

Carl Rogers

  • Introduced Person-Centred Therapy:

    • Developed his theory from client interactions, asserting that intrinsic tendencies toward self-actualization can be expressed in a therapeutic relationship where the therapist offers:

    • Personal congruence

    • Unconditional positive regard

    • Accurate empathic understanding

  • Emphasis on:

    • Experiences

    • Feelings

    • Values of the individual (inner self)

    • Distinctly human qualities including:

    • Choice

    • Creativity

    • Valuation

    • Self-realization

Human Needs According to Carl Rogers

  • Identification of two human needs:

    • Positive regard from others: Approval and acceptance from peers and society.

    • Positive self-regard: The capacity for self-acceptance and valuing oneself positively.

The Self-Concept

  • The self-concept consists of:

    • Perceived self: How individuals view themselves.

    • Ideal self: How individuals wish to be.

  • Goals of humanistic therapy include:

    • Achieving self-awareness.

    • Cultivating feelings that are congruent with the self-concept.

  • Psychological health is realized when there is a match between the perceived self and the ideal self.

  • Cognitive dissonance is defined as the feeling of discomfort that occurs from holding conflicting beliefs.

    • When facing a discrepancy between beliefs and behaviors, individuals must change something to reduce dissonance.

Abraham Maslow

  • Renowned for his Theory of Human Needs:

    • Fundamental Needs:

    • Physiological Needs: Hunger, thirst, and sex.

    • Safety Needs: Security and freedom from danger.

    • Psychological Needs:

    • Belongingness and Love: Connection with others, acceptance, and the need to belong.

    • Self-Esteem: Achievement, competence, approval, and recognition.

    • Self-Actualization Needs: The drive to realize one’s innate potential (referenced from Maslow 1968 and Gething et al 2004).

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

  • Maslow posited a hierarchy of needs:

    • Each stage must be met before moving to the next.

    • The ultimate goal of psychological growth is achieving self-actualization.

Viktor Frankl and “Meaninglessness”

  • Frankl identified psychological neurosis as potentially resulting from an existential vacuum, characterized by:

    • A feeling of emptiness.

    • An inner void characterized by uncertainty about one's purpose, actions, or desires.

  • He observed that when humans exhibit a will to power or a will to pleasure over a will to meaning, this indicates reliance on substitutes in life (Millon 1973, p.233).

Consequences of Lack of Meaning

  • Frankl argued that a lack of meaning in life can lead to illness and existential despair.

Humanistic Approach Overview

  • Both Maslow and Rogers embraced self-actualization as:

    • An empirical principle.

    • An ethical idea.

  • Their depiction of human nature as intrinsically good became a significant theme in the human potential movement but faced criticism for being an inadequate representation of the human experience.

Evaluation of the Humanistic Approach

Influence

  • Considerable Influence:

    • Development of client-centered therapy.

    • Helped establish counseling as an independent profession.

    • Engendered the development of research techniques to evaluate treatment effectiveness.

  • Nonetheless, the approach is considered:

    • Unscientific:

    • Limited impact on mainstream psychology.

    • Lack of robust evidence supporting its theories.

    • Limited capability to enhance understanding of abnormal, deviant, or antisocial behavior.

Legacy of Humanistic Psychology

  • Continues to influence various fields such as:

    • Therapy

    • Education

    • Healthcare

  • Humanistic psychology has aided in diminishing the stigma associated with therapy, encouraging normal, healthy individuals to explore their abilities and potentials through therapeutic means.

References

  • Barkway, P. (2013). Psychology for Health Professionals, Elsevier, Australia.

  • Berger, K. S. (2006). The Developing Person: Through Childhood and Adolescence (7th edition). Worth Publishers, New York, USA.

  • Millon, T. (Ed.) (1973). Theories of Psychopathology and Personality. W. B. Saunders Co, Philadelphia, USA.

  • Neeb, K. (2006). Fundamentals of Mental Health Nursing (3rd edition). S.A. Davis Company, Philadelphia, USA.

  • Raynor, M., & England, M. (2010). Psychology for Midwives: Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Puerperium. McGraw Hill, Berkshire, UK.