Approaches in Psychology - The Humanistic Approach Flashcards
When did the humanistic approach and where?
America in early 1960s
Why is the humanistic approach termed the ‘Third Force’?
Because it aimed to replace the 2 main approaches - Behaviourist and psychodynamic
What are humanistic theories concerned with?
Human experiences, uniqueness, meaning, freedom and choice
Determinism
All behaviour has a cause
Psychic determinism
Your mind is choosing the way in which you behave due to the environment you’ve grown up in
Environment
Surroundings, family, people around you
Free will
Our own free choice is the only thing that controls our behaviour
Covert observation
Observation where participants don’t know they’re being observed
Overt observation
Observation where participants know they’re being observed
Participant observation
The observer joins in with the participants
Non-participant observation
The observer just watches the participants
Structure interviewing
Planned questions
Unstructured interviewing
Questions being asked are determined by answers given
Self actualisation
A person’s motivation to reach their full potential
Congruence
A healthy sense of well-being is established if an individual maintains a reasonable consistency between ideal self and actual self
How does humanistic psychology differ from most other approaches in psychology?
By focusing on conscious experience rather than on behaviour
When was humanistic psychology developed? By who?
1950s by C. Rogers and A. Maslow
Assumptions of humanistic approach
-Each person can exercise free will
-Each person is a rational and conscious being and not dominated by unconscious instincts
-Each person is unique
What does unstructured interviewing allow?
Allows access to other people’s views and experiences without imposing on them the researcher’s ideas about what is important
Methodology of humanistic approach
-Unstructured interviewing
-Participant observation
-Diaries, letters and biographical material
Maslow’s interests
Maslow wasn’t interested in what went wrong with people, but rather in what could go right with them
What does Maslow’s hierarchy of needs emphasise?
Importance of personal growth and fulfilment