4.7 Humanistic Approach

Question 1

What is the Humanistic approach?

Answer 1

Explains behaviour in a way that emphasizes the importance of subjective experience and each persons capacity for self determinism

Question 2

What is the key principle of the Humanistic approach?

Answer 2

• Rejects a scientific approach
• Humans influenced by internal and external factors to an extent but are active agents in their own growth and development

Question 3

What is Maslows hierarchy of needs?

Answer 3

Five-levelled hierarchy sequence in which basic psychological needs e.g hunger must be satisfied before higher needs e.g self actualization can be achieved

Question 4

What is self actualisation?

Answer 4

The desire to grow psychologically and fulfill ones potential

Question 5

What is incongruence?

Answer 5

When there is a misalignment between the real self and ideal self

Question 6

How does incongruence affect self actualisation?

Answer 6

Self actualisation not possible due to negativity about self worth as a result of incongruence

Question 7

What is congruence?

Answer 7

When an individuals concept of self broadly accords with their ideal self

Question 8

What are conditions of worth?

Answer 8

When a parent places limits or boundaries on their love of their children (can hinder growth and self actualisation)

Question 9

What is client-centered therapy used for?

Answer 9

Developed to reduce gap between real self and ideal self (essentially counselling)

Question 10

What does counselling consist of?

Answer 10

Encourages clients to view themselves positively and have freedom to solve their own problems within supportive atmosphere

Question 11

AO3 for Humanistic approach

Answer 11

1. Not reductionist
Rejects reductionism (attempt to break behaviour and experience into smaller components), advocates holism, subjective experience understood by considering whole person, more validity, considers meaningful human behaviour within real world context

2. Positive approach
Optimistic, brings person back into psychology, promotes positive image of human condition, Freud viewed humans as prisoners of their past, Humanistic psychologists see all free to work towards achievement of their own potential and in control of lives, refreshing approach

3. Cultural bias
Central Humanistic ideas e.g freedom, autonomy associated with individualist cultures, collectivist countries emphasise needs of the group where ideals of Humanistic psychology may not be important, approach not universal