5. APPROACHES (The Humanistic Approach) Flashcards
What is a key assumption of the Humanistic Approach in psychology?
Every person is unique, and psychology should focus on their subjective experiences, feelings, and thoughts. This is an ideographic approach.
What does the Humanistic Approach suggest about free will?
Humans are self-determining and have free will, meaning they can choose how to behave and shape their development.
What is the concept of ‘Self-Actualisation’ in the Humanistic Approach?
Self-actualisation is the process of reaching one’s full potential and becoming the best version of oneself. It is the highest level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
According to Carl Rogers, what is needed to achieve self-actualisation?
To achieve self-actualisation, a person must be fully functioning, which involves being open to experience, living existentially, trusting feelings, being creative, and having a fulfilled life.
What is the ‘Self’ in Carl Rogers’ theory?
The ‘Self’ consists of three components: self-concept (how we perceive ourselves), ideal self (who we wish to be), and real self (who we actually are).
What is the concept of ‘Incongruence’ in Rogers’ theory?
Incongruence occurs when there is a mismatch between a person’s self-concept and their ideal self. This can lead to negative feelings and affect self-worth.
What is the difference between ‘Conditions of Worth’ and ‘Unconditional Positive Regard’?
Conditions of worth are conditions set by others (e.g., parents) for acceptance, while unconditional positive regard refers to acceptance without conditions, allowing for true self-acceptance.
What is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a five-level model that suggests individuals must satisfy basic needs (e.g., physiological, safety) before achieving self-actualisation, the ultimate goal of personal growth.
What is Carl Rogers’ Person-Centered Therapy?
Person-Centered Therapy is a client-led, non-directive approach where therapists provide unconditional positive regard, empathy, and genuineness to help clients become congruent and reach self-actualisation.
What is meant by a “fully functioning person” in Rogers’ theory?
A fully functioning person is open to experience, lives in the moment, trusts their feelings, is creative, and leads a fulfilled life, constantly growing and becoming their best self.
What is the role of the therapist in Rogers’ Person-Centered Therapy?
The therapist’s role is to provide a warm, supportive, and non-judgmental environment, offering unconditional positive regard and empathy to help the client move towards congruence and self-actualisation.
What does ‘Congruence’ mean in Carl Rogers’ theory?
Congruence is when the real self, ideal self, and self-concept align. A person with congruence feels at peace with who they are and is on the path to self-actualisation.
What is one strength of the Humanistic Approach in psychology?
A strength is that it emphasizes personal responsibility and offers a positive, holistic perspective on human behavior, which has had significant contributions to therapies like client-centered therapy
What is one limitation of the Humanistic Approach in psychology?
The Humanistic Approach is criticized for rejecting scientific methods, as it focuses on subjective experiences that are difficult to measure or test empirically
How does the Humanistic Approach view human behaviour?
The Humanistic Approach views human behaviour as self-determined and emphasizes the importance of understanding individual experiences within their real-life context, rather than focusing solely on observable behaviour.
