Chapter 11

Question 1

what is existential philosophy?

Answer 1

Addresses the meaning of human existence, role of free will, and uniqueness of each human being

Question 2

what does existential psychotherapy focus on?

Answer 2

existential anxiety

Question 3

who promoted humanistic psychology?

Answer 3

Carl Rogers and Maslow

Question 4

what is existential anxiety (crisis)?

Answer 4

Period of upheaval and difficulty that also involves questioning the meaning of life and one’s purpose for living.

Question 5

what are the 5 types of existential anxiety?

Answer 5

1. An increased sense of struggle (such as difficulty making decisions)
2. Painful emotions like despair or regret
3. Withdrawal from activities or people
4. Questioning long-held beliefs, including but not limited to religious faith
5. Panic attacks

Question 6

what are the 4 key elements of the humanistic approach?

Answer 6

1. Personal responsibility: people are responsible for what happens to them
2. The Here and Now: people can’t become fully functioning individuals when they live their lives as it happens
3. The Experience of the individual: therapists provide therapeutic atmosphere that allows clients to help themselves
4. Personal growth: people are motivated to progress toward some ultimately satisfying state of being

Question 7

what did Carl Rogers believe?

Answer 7

Believed in every individual’s potential to for a fulfilling and happy life

Question 8

what is a fully functioning person according to Rogers?

Answer 8

People who strive and reach an optimal sense of satisfaction in their lives

Question 9

what is anxiety according to Rogers?

Answer 9

Anxiety is the result of acquiring knowledge that does not coincide with the impression one has about oneself

Question 10

according to Rogers, when faced with extreme threatening information, one relies on _____ (similar to Freud)

Answer 10

defenses

Question 11

what are Rogers’ defences?

Answer 11

Distortions/Rationalization: The creation of plausible yet false explanations that justify why events occurred in the manner they did.

Denial of threats: attempt to distance oneself from a threat

Denial: refusal to admit to oneself that a situation exists or an experience took place, serves this function.

Question 12

what is the consequence of overuse of Rogers’ anxiety?

Answer 12

Neurosis:
- Rigidity in perceptions, overgeneralizations and black-and-white thinking.
- Not really dealing with the threats themselves.

Question 13

what is Rogers’ conditional positive regard?

Answer 13

Atmosphere when admiration is gained when accepted behavior is portrayed

Conditional positive regard = incongruent person –> Resolved through unconditional positive regard

Question 14

what are Maslow’s motives?

Answer 14

Deficiency motives and growth needs

Question 15

what are deficiency motives? (2)

Answer 15

Physiological, security, social, and esteem needs are deficiency needs, whicharise due to deprivation.

Satisfying these lower-level needs is important to avoid unpleasant feelings or consequences

Question 16

what are growth needs?

Answer 16

do notstem from a lack of something, but rather from a desire to grow as a person.

related to self-actualization

Question 17

what is self-actualization?

Answer 17

Satisfied when we identify our true self and reach our full potential. “A musician must make music,” Maslow wrote. “An artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What a man can be, he must be. He must be true to his own nature”

Question 18

what is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

Answer 18

Categories of needs identified and arranged by Maslow

5. Physiological needs - Hunger, thirst, air, and sleep (Must be satisfied before moving to higher level needs)
6. Safety needs - Security, stability, protection, structure, order, and freedom from chaos (Prominent when the future is unpredictable)
7. belongingness and love needs: d-love and b-love
8. esteem needs: need to perceive oneself as competent and achieving
9. need for self-actualization: satisfied when people identify their true self and reach full potential

Question 19

what is the difference between D-love and B-love?

Answer 19

D-love - Need to satisfy the emptiness people experience without it

B-love - Experienced and grows as a result of being in the relationship

Question 20

what are 3 misconceptions about Maslow’s need hierarchy?

Answer 20

1. Assumption that lower needs must be satisfied before turning to higher needs
2. Description that need hierarchy is universal (means of satisfying a particular need varies across cultures)
3. Oversimplification that any behavior is motivated by a single need (behavior is the result of multiple motivations)

Question 21

Maslow believed that knowing self-actualized people can provide lessons others can follow for ______

Answer 21

fulfilling their true potential

Question 22

what are the types of psychologically healthy individuals?

Answer 22

Nonpeakers - Have a clear direction in life (“the social world improvers, the politicians, the workers of society, the reformers, the crusaders.” )

Peakers - Less conventional and more concerned with abstract notions (“more likely to write the poetry, the music, the philosophies, and the religions” )

Question 23

what is flow?

Answer 23

Moments in which a person’s attention is entirely focused on a activity

Question 24

what are the components of flow?

Answer 24

Activity is challenging and skilful

One’s attention is completely absorbed by the activity

Activity has clear goals

Presence of clear feedback

Concentration can only be on the current task

Achievement of personal control

Loss of self-consciousness

Loss of sense of time