Approaches(humanistic approach)

Question 1

What does the humanistic approach say about the conscious experience of individuals -

Answer 1

Individuals have free will unlike many other approaches, the approach suggest people have full control over their destiny due to free will. The humanistic approach suggests that human beings are able to make significant personal choices within the constraints of biological and social influences in society.

Question 2

Maslow’s theory -

Answer 2

Maslow was not seen interested in what could go wrong with people and more of what could go right. His hierarchy of needs evoked the importance of personal growth and fulfilment.

Question 3

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs -

Answer 3

Represented in a pyramid, where the most basic psychological needs come at the bottom of the pyramid and the most advances needs at the top. Each level must be fulfilled to move up to a higher need in the pyramid

Question 4

Self-actualisation -

Answer 4

Maslow found that most of the highest level of self-actualisation on the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs shared certain characteristics tended to be creative and have an accurate perception of the world around them. These individuals according to Maslow were classed as experiencing self-actualisation in the form of peak experiences.

Question 5

Focus on self -

Answer 5

Refers to how we perceive ourselves as a person it is claimed we need two basic needs: positive regard from others and feeling of self worth of what we think about ourselves.

Question 6

Congruence -

Answer 6

If there is a similarity between a persons idea self and their own self image a state of congruence exists a difference represents a state of incongruence. The closer the self-image and ideal self are to each other, the better feelings of our self-worth and a higher congruence.

Question 7

Conditions of worth -

Answer 7

Conditions imposed on the individuals behaviour and development that are considered significant to earn a positive regard from others.

Question 8

Cultural differences in the hierarchy of needs -

Answer 8

In the later development of Maslow’s theory , some people’s needs may be in a different order, this can be suggested in cross-cultural differences for example a study carried out in China, where belonginess needs are more influential than physiological needs and self-actualisation was defined more in terms of contributions to the community, than in terms of self imagery and individual improvement. Whereas studies of Europeans and Americans focus more on person identity in defining their self concept. Suggesting that the hierarchy of needs is maybe to specific to one culture and their present individuals.

Question 9

Link to economic development -

Answer 9

Research has suggested that Maslow’s hierarchy of needs may have future relevance on much later stages of physical growth. It was explored between the economic growth and level of Maslow’s hierarchy, in 88 countries over a 34 year time period. Countries in the early stages of economic development were categorised by lower level needs (of physiological needs of food and water), as predicted by Maslow’s model, advanced stages of economic development self-actualisation became important.