12: Rogers - Humanism / The Fully Functioning Person Flashcards
single “force of life” in Rogers’ theory - built-in motivation present in every life form to develop its potentials to the fullest extent possible
the actualizing tendency
an evolutionary inner sense which guides us in the direction of health and growth, draws us towards experiences best fitted to suit these needs
organismic valuing
Rogers’ term for feelings like love, affection, attention, nurturing, etc. which we instinctively value
positive regard
Rogers’ term for self-esteem and a positive evaluation of oneself built from experiencing the positive regard others show us
positive self-regard
social phenomenon where during childhood, parents/teachers/peers/etc. only give us what we need if we show we are “worthy” of it
conditions of worth
receiving love, affection etc. on certain conditions (if you “behave”) - conditions may not always be fair or healthy
conditional positive regard
only being able to appreciate yourself if meeting up with standards others have applied to you, rather than if truly actualizing our potentials - usually unable to meet them and therefore unable to have self-esteem
conditional positive self-regard
in Rogers’ theory, the aspect of your being that is founded in the actualizing tendency, with organismic valuing, positive regard and self-regard - if all goes well, the person you will become
real self
in Rogers’ theory, sense of self developed from conditions of worth that are out of step with actualizing tendency and organismic valuing, only receiving conditional positive regard and self-regard - always out of our reach and unable to be met
ideal self
the gap between the real self and the ideal self, who you are vs. who you “should” be - the greater the gap, the more suffering (essentially Rogers’ term for neurosis) - feeling as though the real self is threatening
incongruity
a situation in which there is incongruity between your self-image and your immediate experience (between ideal and real self)
threatening situation
emotional condition when you are expecting a threatening situation - signal that indicates trouble ahead
anxiety
attempts to psychologically “flee” from threatening situations and anxiety (denial and perceptual distortion) - every time one is used, it widens the gap between the real and ideal self
defenses
psychological defense that involves blocking out a threatening situation altogether to avoid anxiety
denial
psychological defense that involves reinterpreting the situation so that it appears less threatening, similar to rationalization (ex. student blaming the teacher for his poor grades)
perceptual distortion
In Rogers’ theory, a state that occurs when one’s defenses become overwhelmed, shattering their sense of self and leading to bizarre behavior with little consistency
psychosis
Rogers’ term for a healthy individual - possesses qualities of openness to experience, existential living, organismic trusting, experiential freedom, and creativity
fully-functioning
quality of a fully-functioning individual - accurate perception of experiences/feelings and ability to accept reality, tolerate ambiguity (opposite of defensiveness)
openness to experience
quality of a fully-functioning individual - ability to live in the present moment and stay in touch with reality (not overly fixated on the past or future)
existential living
quality of a fully-functioning individual - allowing self to be guided by organismic valuing, trusting your real self and doing what comes naturally
organismic trusting
quality of a fully-functioning individual - feeling “free” to decide when presented with choices and taking responsibility for one’s choices
experiential freedom
quality of a fully-functioning individual - wanting to contribute to the actualization of others and find new ways to make positive changes in the world (generativity)
creativity
Rogers’ original term for his brand of therapy - idea that the therapist should not lead the client, but rather be there for them as the client directs the progress
non-directive
1st name change to Rogers’ brand of therapy - client still directs the progress of therapy, though Rogers acknowledges the influence of the therapist on them as a source of guidance
client-centered
most common modern term for Rogers’ brand of therapy - “supportive, not reconstructive” - if client desires greater independence, they cannot be dependent on therapist forever
Rogerian therapy
technique in Rogerian therapy that allows therapist to communicate to the client that they’re listening, understanding, and caring - translating statements of distress to explore feelings beneath (“I hate men” -> “did a man hurt you?”)
reflection
1st quality of an effective therapist - genuineness, honesty with client
congruence
2nd quality of an effective therapist - the ability to feel what the client feels
empathy
3rd quality of an effective therapist - acceptance, unconditional positive regard towards the client
respect
Rogers’ terms to characterize the 3 qualities of an effective therapist (congruence, empathy, respect)
necessary and sufficient
Rogers’ term for the broad general tendency toward development in nature (movement from simple to complex)
formative tendency
an individual’s understanding of existence and how they experience life - principles which inspired Rogers’ theory
phenomenology
total caring and valuing of a person for who they are, without any conditions of worth (not connecting worth to good behavior)
unconditional positive regard
