Ch. 10 Person-Centered Theory

Question 1

person-centered theory

Answer 1

(Carl Rogers) outgrowth of his client-centered psychotherapy

- called for empirical research to support personality theory

Question 2

Carl Rogers

Answer 2

developed person-centered theory

• disliked the idea of a “theory”
• never systematically reformulated theory of personality
• did not find labeling w/ diagnosis helpful (too much focus on categorizing, not enough treating)

Question 3

Rogers important BIO

Answer 3

• interested in agriculture as a child
• briefly attends seminary w/ intension of becoming minister but turned to psychology
• wrote book on behavioral problems in children

Question 4

basic assumptions

Answer 4

formative tendency
actualizing tendency

**everyone possesses these

Question 5

formative tendency

Answer 5

tendency to increase in complexity

- present in all organisms

Question 6

actualizing tendency

Answer 6

tendency to reach potential or completion

Question 7

self-actualization

Answer 7

a subset of the actualization tendency

• not synonymous w/ actualization tendency
• psych development

Question 8

self-concept

Answer 8

organized set of characteristics that the individual perceives as peculiar to self

• once formed, difficult to change
• largely based on evaluation from others
• not the ideal-self
• may lead to psych probs in personality

**the motivator

Question 9

ideal self

Answer 9

how one wishes two be

• our best/ideal self
• healthy if ideal self similar to self-concept

Question 10

awareness

Answer 10

how we interpret our experiences

- symbolic representation (not necessarily in verbal symbols) of some portion of our experience

Question 11

level of awareness

Answer 11

ignored
denied (b/c does not fit self-concept)
accurately symbolized
distorted

**similar to defense mechanisms

Question 12

becoming a person

Answer 12

process necessary to becoming a person:

• need social contact
• positive regard necessary in relationships

Question 13

denial of positive experiences

Answer 13

deny certain experience b/c it does not fit self-concept
- judgments

(ie) low self-esteem
(ie) deny compliments when given - think compliment has implied judgment (cynical)

Question 14

positive regard

Answer 14

the need to be loved, like, or accepted by another

• necessary in relationships
• prerequisite for positive self-regard
• becoming a person

Question 15

positive self-regard

Answer 15

the experience of valuing one’s self

• goal
• becoming a person

Question 16

conditions of worth

Answer 16

restrictions or qualifications attached to one person’s regard for another
- applicable to all types of relationships

(ie) I am only loved if I live up to other people’s expectations and approvals

Question 17

incongruence

Answer 17

when self-concept differs from organismic valuing experience (OVP)

• vulnerability due to inconsistency
• anxiety + threat

Question 18

vulnerability

Answer 18

a condition that exists when ppl are unaware of the discrepancy btwn their organismic self y their significant experiences

• often behave in ways incomprehensive to themselves y otros
• increase vulnerability if increase incongruence

Question 19

anxiety

Answer 19

a state of uneasiness or tension whose cause is unknown

- increase awareness of incongruence, anxiety becomes threat

Question 20

threat

Answer 20

feelings that results from perception of an experience that is inconsistent w/ one’s organismic self

• awareness that our self is no longer whole or congruent
• can represent steps toward psych health
• signal us that organismic experience is inconsistent w/ self-concept
• pleasant, uncomfy feelings

Question 21

organismic self

Answer 21

refers to the entire person, including those aspects of existence beyond awareness
- a more general term than self-concept

Question 22

defensiveness

Answer 22

protection of the self-concept against anxiety/threat by denial or distortion of experiences inconsistent w/ it

**similar to defense mechanism

Question 23

distortion

Answer 23

misinterpretation of an experience in order to fit it into some aspect of our self-concept
- aware of experience but deny its true meaning

Question 24

denial

Answer 24

refuse to perceive an experience in awareness

• keep some aspect of it from reaching symbolization
• not as common as distortion

Question 25

disorganization

Answer 25

people behave inconsistently w/ their organismic experience + sometimes in accordance w/ shattered self-concept

• occurs when defense fail y behavior becomes disorganized or psychotic
• usually more severe psychopathology

Question 26

condition

Answer 26

necessities for successful treatment:

• counselor congruence
• unconditional positive regard

Question 27

counselor congruence

Answer 27

a complete human w/ feelings but they neither deny nor distort but flow easily into awareness and are freely expressed

• not passive
• not aloof
• not nondirective

Question 28

congruence

Answer 28

the matching of organismic experiences w/ awareness y w/ ability to express those experiences

• 1 of 3 necessary y sufficient therapeutic conditions
• it makes sense

**real or genuine

Question 29

unconditional positive regard

Answer 29

complete acceptance no matter the issue

• shows support
• do not condone

**I still accept you for you

Question 30

empathic listening

Answer 30

trying to understand another

• putting self in their shoes to understand them
• communicate perceptions to client so they know that another person has entered their world of feelings w/out prejudice, projection or evaluation

Question 31

process of psychotherapy

Answer 31

stages of therapeutic change

• motivational interviews
• theoretical explanation for therapeutic change

Question 32

outcomes of psychotherapy

Answer 32

help move client toward self concept

Question 33

person of tomorrow

Answer 33

the psychologically healthy individual in the process of evolving into all that he or she can become

Question 34

characteristics of a person of tomorrow

Answer 34

more adaptable
open to their experiences, take them for what they are
live fully in the moment (existential living)
harmonious relations w/ others
more integrated (conscious + unconscious)
very optimistic
basic trust of human nature
greater richness in life

Question 35

existential living

Answer 35

indicating a tendency to live in the moment

Question 36

philosophy of science

Answer 36

• science begins/ends w/ subjective experiences
• need to work + experience the field
• scientists must be involved w/ phenomena being studied
• science beings w/ scientists perceiving patterns among phenomena
• scientists communicate findings

Question 37

Chicago study

Answer 37

study that shows proof that client-centered therapy’s 3 conditions of psychotherapy are effective

Question 38

mentality of person-centered therapy

Answer 38

everyone has the answers in us y the potential to do it ourselves, we only need to discover/rediscover it

• no pressure to resolve right away
• awkward silences in therapy are okay