Approaches - Humanistic

Question 1

What are the key assumptions of humanistic psychology?

Answer 1

1. Every individual is unique - no point trying to generalise to groups as there are too many differences within groups
2. We have free will - we have the ability to choose what we can do and are in control of our behaviour. We do have constraints, law/social rules. However we have choice.
3. People should be viewed holistically - no point in looking at just one aspect of an individual, as this could miss other reasons for distress.
4. The scientific method is not appropriate to measure behaviour - The scientific method tries to be too objective, yet humans are subjective in the way they think and behave

Question 2

What did Maslow come up with?

Answer 2

Hierachy of needs

Question 3

What is at the bottom of the hierarchy?

Answer 3

Psychological needs: food, water, warmth, rest (basic needs)

Question 4

What is second from the bottom of the hierarchy?

Answer 4

Safety needs: security, safety (basic needs)

Question 5

What is at the middle of the hierarchy?

Answer 5

Belongingness and love needs: intimate relationships, friends (psychological needs)

Question 6

What is second from the top of the hierarchy?

Answer 6

Esteem needs: prestige and feeling of accomplishment (self-fulfilment needs)

Question 7

What is at the top of the hierarchy?

Answer 7

Self actualisation: achieving one’s full potential, including creative activities (self-fulfilment needs)

Question 8

What does humanistic psychology focus on?

Answer 8

Aims to focus on people’s health, growth, personal development and creativity

Question 9

What happens if basic needs are not met?

Answer 9

Higher needs cannot be met

Question 10

What does the hierarchy of needs state?

Answer 10

States that people could only meet their full potential - ‘self-actualise’ if their more basic needs were met

Question 11

Describe self actualisation

Answer 11

Achievement of full potential, ultimate feeling of well being and satisfaction, feeling can be described as ‘‘flow’’ or spiritual experience, the state of self-actualisation is not permanent.

Question 12

What is The Self Concept?

Answer 12

The self you feel you are, the root of your self esteem. If you have low self esteem you will have a low concept of yourself. People may have a distorted view of themselves.

Question 13

What is The Ideal Self?

Answer 13

The self you wish to be. Who you are aiming towards becoming, or already there. If you say ‘‘I wish I was more’’ the ideal self differs from the self concept.

Question 14

What is The Real Self?

Answer 14

The person you actually are, not who you think are or wish you were. Difficult to see who this is due to subjectivity meaning we all perceive people differently.

Question 15

When does congruence happen?

Answer 15

This happens when the ideal self (who we want to be), and the self-concept (who we feel we are) are the same.

Question 16

What is necessary for a person to be congruent?

Answer 16

Self-actualisation

Question 17

What helps us achieve congruence?

Answer 17

Unconditional positive regard - it is much easier to achieve congruence if at some point we have been loved for who we are by somebody else. This can be partners, family or friends.

Question 18

What are conditions of worth?

Answer 18

Requirements an individual feels they need to meet in order to be loved. These can be real or imagined. This is called conditional positive regard.

Question 19

If someone feels conditions of worth what do they not experience?

Answer 19

Unconditional positive regard

Question 20

Who developed client centred therapy?

Answer 20

Carl Rodgers

Question 21

What is the therapist’s role during client centred therapy?

Answer 21

The therapists role is to provide the client with the unconditional positive regard they may be lacking from their own family and friends.

Question 22

What is the aim of client centred therapy?

Answer 22

The focus is on reducing the difference between ideal self and self concept in order to improve the level of congruence.

Question 23

How is the client treated during client centred therapy?

Answer 23

The client is treated as the expert on their own condition and is expected to arrive at own solutions to problems.

Question 24

Strengths of humanistic approach?

Answer 24

+ The fundamental argument that the differences between groups is less than the difference within groups has been demonstrated, especially in gender research

+ The humanistic theory is positive, and allows for significant personal development and change at any stage of life. Acknowledges that we can change as a consequence of our environment. This is a clear distinction from more deterministic theories.

Question 25

Limitations of humanistic approach?

Answer 25

• Concepts such as ‘‘self actualisation’’ are not fully operationalised. If they are not clearly defined how can it be measured.
• Could be an example of cultural bias, individualistic western cultures prioritise individual success and achievement. In collectivist cultures groups success is more important. Humanistic psychologists may view individuals from collectivist cultures as less able to self actualise, therefore in some way inferior.

Question 26

Compare humanistic psychology to behavioural psychology

Answer 26

Humanistic focuses on free will whereas behavioural psychology believes in environmental determinism.

Humanistic psychology is anti-scientific/ holistic whereas behaviourist approach is very scientific and reductionist

Humanistic is person centred and favours ideographic case studies. Behavioural approach is nomothetic.

Question 27

Compare humanistic psychology to the cognitive approach

Answer 27

Humanistic approach focuses on free will, cognitive approach suggest behaviour is determined by our schemas.

Humanistic is person centred and ideographic (case studies) whereas cognitive is nomothetic

Question 28

Compare humanistic psychology to the biological approach

Answer 28

Humanistic focuses on free will compared to biological determinism

Humanistic is anti-scientific/ holistic whereas biological is very scientific and reductionist.

Humanistic is person centred and ideographic (case studies) whereas biological is nomothetic

Question 29

Compare humanistic psychology to psychodynamic approach

Answer 29

Humanistic psychology focuses on the role of free will, psychodynamic, psychic determinism

Humanistic takes a positive approach to psychology focusing on how people can achieve their best, while psychodynamics has a focus in the negative aspects of human behaviour.

Humanists see development as lifelong