14. The Humanistic Approach AO3

Question 1

Name two limitations of the humanistic approach

Answer 1

1. Includes untestable concepts

2. May have western cultural bias

Question 2

Why might the humanistic approach include untestable concepts

Answer 2

Humanistic psychology includes vague ideas that are abstract and difficult to test e.g. Self-actualisation, anti-scientific and short of empirical evidence

Question 3

What can be concluded about the humanistic approach based upon it including untestable concepts

Answer 3

It is short on empirical evidence

Question 4

Explain by humanistic psychology may be culturally biased to the west

Answer 4

Many central ideas of humanistic psychology would be better associated with individualist cultures in the western world such as the US

Question 5

Explain why the humanistic approach may not apply to collectivist cultures

Answer 5

Emphasise the need of the group and interdependence- may not identify so easily with ideals and values of humanistic psychology

Question 6

What can be concluded from humanistic psychology being culturally biased

Answer 6

It’s possible the approach wouldn’t travel well and is a product of cultural context it was developed in

Question 7

Name a strength of humanistic psychology

Answer 7

Anti-reductionist

Question 8

Explain why humanistic psychology is anti-reductionist

Answer 8

humanistic psychologists reject attempts to break up behaviour/experience into smaller components - advocate holism

Question 9

Explain holism

Answer 9

Idea that subjective experience can only be understood by considering whole person

Question 10

What can be concluded from humanistic psychology being anti-reductionist

Answer 10

more validity than alternatives- consideres meaningful human behaviour within real life context