2) Approaches - Humanistic Approach

Question 1

Why is the humanistic approach not deterministic?

Answer 1

Claims that humans have free will so they are self determining

Question 2

What is self-actualisation?

Answer 2

The innate tendency to achieve ones full potential

Question 3

What did Maslow believe was the primary goal of humans?

Answer 3

Self-actualisation

Question 4

What is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

Answer 4

• A hierarchy of deficiency needs which must be met to achieve self actualisation.
• Needs of the lower levels must first be met before moving to the next level.

Question 5

What are the stages in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

Answer 5

(TOP)

Self Actualisation 
Self-Esteem 
Love and Belongingness 
Safety and Security 
Physiological Needs (Sleep, hunger)

(BOTTOM)

Question 6

What did Rogers say about the Self and Congruence?

Answer 6

For personal growth to be achieved, a person’s concept of self must have congruence with their ideal self.

Question 7

What is the Self?

Answer 7

The way a person sees themselves

Question 8

What is the ideal self?

Answer 8

The person they want to be

Question 9

What is congruence?

Answer 9

“Harmony”

Question 10

What happens if there is too big of a gap between the self and the ideal self?

Answer 10

• Person will experience a state of incongruence leading to negative feelings of self-worth.
• Meaning that self-actualisation will not be possible.

Question 11

What did Rogers claim was the root issues such as worthlessness and low self esteem?

Answer 11

Lack of unconditional positive regard/unconditional love from our parents

Question 12

What are conditions of love?

Answer 12

• Boundaries/limits of love for their child.

e. g “I will only love you if….”

Question 13

What happens if a child experiences “conditions of love”?

Answer 13

Stores up psychological problems for that child in the future

Question 14

How did Rogers attempt to counter the effects of “conditions of love”?

Answer 14

By providing his clients with the unconditional positive regard which they had not received as a child.

Question 15

What is client-centred therapy?

Answer 15

The “client” is viewed as an expert on their own condition, encouraging the client to discover their own solutions within a supportive atmosphere.

Question 16

Who developed client centred therapy?

Answer 16

Rogers

Question 17

What is the purpose of client centred therapy?

Answer 17

To achieve congruence

Question 18

Give a strength for the humanistic approach in relation to it being reductionist.

Answer 18

Non Reductionist
P - The humanistic is a non reductionist approach.
E - This means that it does not attempt to break up behaviour and experiences into smaller components.
E - This means that humanists accept a more holistic approach, meaning that behaviour can only be understood by looking at a person as a whole.
L - Therefore this approach may have more validity than others as it looks at meaningful behaviour within it’s real life context.

Question 19

Give a limitation for the humanistic approach in terms of empiricism

Answer 19

Lacks Empirical Evidence
P - Humanistic psychology includes vague ideas which are abstract and difficult to test.
E - It would be hard to assess concepts such as “self-actualisation” and “congruence”, although they may be used as therapeutic tools.
E - Therefore the approach lacks empirical evidence.

Question 20

Give a limitation to the humanistic approach in terms of cultural bias

Answer 20

P - The humanistic approach may be associated with culture bias.
E - Ideas in humanistic psychology, such as autonomy and personal growth, are more associated with individualist cultures in the west than collectivist cultures such as in India.
E - Therefore it would be hard to apply this approach to collectivist cultures.