Key Concepts: Humanism, Cognitive, Sociocultural Perspectives

Humanism and Maslow

Core idea: Respect for the individual; treatment guided by the client’s own goals; healing comes from the person, not the clinician.
Central question of humanism: if you could be any way and do anything, what would you want to be?
Therapist role: guide and support, not the healer; you are the one who heals yourself.

Basic needs must be met before higher-level needs:
- Physiology: Food, Water, Shelter, Temperature Regulation (context matters)
- Safety: long-term security (stable income, housing, predictable resources)
- Belonging/Love and Esteem and Self-Actualization follow once safety is secured.
Levels (conceptual): Physiological
ightarrow Safety
ightarrow Love/Belonging
ightarrow Esteem
ightarrow Self-Actualization

Brings “human spirit” into treatment; person-centered approach mentioned; to be discussed later in the course.

Focus: thinking patterns as the root of psychological problems.
Unhealthy thinking patterns: worries that are unlikely to occur; e.g., only a small fraction of worries come true. 3\% of worries actually happen.
Consequences of thinking patterns: negative energy → physiological stress response (fight/flight/freeze).
Therapist stance (cognitive): avoid direct commands like “stop being angry”; instead, listen, reflect, and help the client recognize patterns.
Process: client tells stories; therapist reflects and helps identify consistencies and dissonances; move toward healthier feeling-behavior patterns.

Behaviors are shaped by consequences from the environment.
Example: a child who screams for something and receives a positive response is more likely to repeat the behavior (positive reinforcement).
Key idea: environment and outcomes drive future actions.

External factors: religion, parenting styles, culture, media, politics, social norms.
Positive vs. negative psychology depends on alignment with personal values and comfort with expectations.
Parenting styles and family dynamics lead to predictable outcomes in children (not 100%, but more likely).
Culture and media influence standards of beauty and other norms.

Behavior viewed as adaptation to help our species survive.
Caution: not all current behaviors are clearly advantageous; e.g., famine-era explanations may not fully explain modern behaviors.

You should know the seven modern perspectives as presented in the chapter: their emphasis and typical views on disorders (e.g., anorexia).
In-class activity: there are two scenarios on the back of the chapter; discuss how a psychologist from each perspective would approach them.

Humanism centers on client-led healing and respect for autonomy.
Maslow provides a hierarchical framework for human motivation.
Cognitive psychology targets thinking patterns and cognitive distortions.
Behavior is shaped by environmental consequences.
Sociocultural factors include religion, parenting, culture, media, and politics.
Evolutionary analysis views behaviors as potential adaptations; with caveats.
Prepare to apply the seven perspectives to case scenarios (especially anorexia) as practiced in the chapter.