Approaches: The Humanistic Approach Flashcards
Define Humanistic Psychology
An approach to understanding behaviour that emphasises the importance of subjective experience and each persons capacity for self determinism
Outline the Humanistic Approach:
- Free will
- Self-actualisation
- The self, congruence and conditions of worth
Outline the Humanistic Approach:
- Free will
Does not mean were not affected by external/ internal stimuli, but we are active agents who have the ability to determine our own development
Say each individual should look at subjective experience rather than trying to create general laws
Outline the Humanistic Approach:
- Self-actualisation
Every person has the innate tendency to achieve their full potential
Humanistic psychologists regard personal growth as an essential part of what it is to be a human
Maslow creates a hierarchy of needs, self actualisation is the highest level
Outline the Humanistic Approach:
- The self, congruence and conditions of worth
Rogers argued for personal growth to be achieved, an individuals concept of self use be equivalent to their ideal self. If the gap is too big, person will experience incongruence
Rogers developed client-centred therapy to reduce the gap
Many issues of low self esteem developed fro conditional love in childhood
Define conditions of worth
When a parent places limits of boundaries on there love of their children “I will love you if…”
Define Congruence
Aim of Rogerian therapy, self-concept and ideal self match
Define Hierarchy of needs
A five levelled hierarchy
Basic needs met be satisfied before psychological needs can be achieved
Evaluate The Humanistic Approach:
+ Not reductionist (looks at whole individual so more valid)
- Limited application (case studies)
+ Positive (brings human back into psychology shows free will)
- Untestable concepts (un falsifiable)
- Culture bias (based on individualist cultures rather than collectivist which emphasise need for group)
