Ch.14 Humanistic + Positive Psychology

Humanistic Psychology

Freud (like Wundt): a source of inspiration as well as a force to oppose
Third Force in Psychology: humanistic psychology; to replace behaviorism + psychoanalysis
Emphasis on conscious experience, human strengths, positive aspirations, free will, human potential, and belief in wholeness of human
Antecedent Influences:
- Brentano - rejected mechanistic approach, favored study of consciousness
- Kuple - conscious experience not only response to stimuli
- roots found in psychoanalysis
Nature:
- refused to accept that behavior is predetermined by stimuli
- focus on overt behavior - dehumanizing approach, treating humans like animals or machines
- Rejected Freudian determinist viewpoint - too much focus on only people with neurotic tendencies

Intrigued by Watson behaviorism but found it too dejecting of human issues — shifted to study Gestalt psychology and psychoanalysis
The Parade: following attack on Pearl Harbor WW2, “influenced focus on the highest human ideals” - show humans are capable of better behaviors
Experienced resistance due to being outside of mainstream behaviorist psychology - eventually, in 1960s became a hero to younger people

Full development of one’s abilities and realization of potential
BUT, first need to satisfy lower needs
Hierarchy of Needs: physiological (water) - safety (security) - belonging/love - esteem (self+ others) - self-actualization
Characteristics of Self-Actualizers: neurotic-free, middle-aged +, less than 1% of population
- e.g. Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, George Carver, and Max Wertheimer
Prereqs for Self-Actualization: love in childhood + physiological/safety needs met by age 2

Inspired other psychologists to embrace humans (and eventually positive
psychology)
Studies by others found some support for the notion of self-actualization
Support that self-actualization more likely to occur in middle age and up
Offered an alternative to behaviorism and psychoanalysis

Person-centered Therapy: emphasis on the client; personality shaped by present experiences and conscious perception of them

parents were religious and emotionally distant and felt at competition with his older brother
Solitary child: loneliness led him to rely on himself; confided in books
Nervous Breakdown: failed to help ill patient - felt incompetent

greatest motivating force
the urge is innate but can be hindered/embrace by childhood experiences + learning
Positive Regard - healthy personality if receive unconditional love from mother as infant
Conditions of Worth - when mother provides conditional positive regard; person only feels worthy when behavior is acceptable
this is the only way to achieve self-actualization

reached self-actualization - they are actualizing
openness to experience, live in the moment, guided by reason, free will, creative, continue to maximize potential

Person-centered-Therapy accepted in US (end of WW2) by veterans who wanted to adjust to civilian life
It suited the time and remain influential in counselling + psychotherapy

Alternative to behaviorism and psychoanalysis
Despite attributes, was not a school of thought but successful and lastly impact on positive psychology (school of thought)
Separated from mainstream psychology:
- Most humanistic psychologists were in
  clinical practice and not at universities
- Timing of the humanist movement was poor

Strengthened the idea within psychoanalysis that people can shape their lives

science of happiness
He himself never felt joyful, but said happiness comes in different form, his was satisfaction found in work
Tough Adolescence: father died of stroke, isolated when enrolled in prestige military academy, went to Princeton University (happy)

Money and Wellbeing:
- People who earned more money were more
  satisfied with their life
- However, feeling respected, being in control,
  having friends/family linked to happiness
- Lack of money leads to unhappiness
Health and Age:
- poor health = low life satisfaction
- happiness increases with age - 60yrs; declines in extreme old age
- happier people live longer (e.g. exercise = happy)
Marriage:
- people in happy, supportive marriages tend to report higher levels of life satisfaction
- those without children are happier; drops after first-born
Personality
- high in subjective wellbeing = high in self-efficacy, internal locus of control, desire for control of life, self-esteem, self-acceptance, self-determination, extraversion, conscientiousness
Other factors:
- experience of discrimination = lower happiness
- under-developed nation = lower happiness
- job (weekend vs. workweek)
- access to Internet (happier with access)

Seligman’s book suggesting “flourishing” better word than “happiness” or “wellbeing”
Happiness Scale: at top, 10-18% of population
termed positive emotion (component of flourishing personality)
1. positive emotion
2. engagement
3. relationships
4. meaning
5. achievement