HUMABISTIC APPROACH Flashcards
The key assumptions of the humanistic psychology approach are:
Each individual is unique
Humans have freewill
Science should not be used to explain behaviour
Humans should be viewed holistically and not reduced to parts
What is Free Will
Freewill is the idea that humans are not controlled or predetermined by internal biological forces or external factors, they have a choice as to their actions and behaviour
What are humans and what does this mean in terms of their own development
Humans are self-determining; they are active agents who make their own choices
Humans determine their own development
Humans are in control of their own behaviour
What did Abraham Maslow say
Maslow devised a hierarchy of needs, which outlines the path that is taken to achieve self-actualisation
What do most people have a innate desire to do
Achievement of full potential and the ultimate feeling of well-being and satisfaction
Most people have the innate desire to reach self actualisation and become the best version of themselves
Self-actualisation is at the highest level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and cannot be reached before the other four levels of needs have been met
What are the hierarchy levels
Level 1: The lowest level of needs is Physiological needs, including, water, food and shelter
Level 2: Safety needs, including, security, structure and protection
Level 3: Social needs, including, friendship, love and intimacy
Level 4: Esteem needs, including positive self-thoughts, achievement and reputation
Level 5: Self-actualisation, including self-fulfilment
Why won’t peopel achieve self actualisation
Although nearly everyone has an innate desire for active self-actualisation, not everyone will achieve this e.g. due to personality factors, circumstances, illness etc.
The Influence on Counselling Psychology
Carl Rogers claimed that personal growth is only achieved when both the concept of self and the ideal self is broadly in line with each other to have congruence with each other
If the gap between these is too wide, the individual will suffer from incongruence and self-actualisation will not be possible as the individual will suffer from negative feelings of self-worth
Client-centered therapy
Rogers developed client-centered therapy (known as counseling) to reduce the gap between the self-concept and the ideal self
Rogers claimed that many issues individuals face in adulthood are from childhood and the lack of unconditional positive regard (unconditional love) from their parents
Parents who put conditions of worth on their love for their child, e.g. ‘I will only love you if you do what I want you to’ are creating and storing up psychological issues for that child is adulthood
Rogers saw his role as a therapist, as being able to provide the unconditional positive regard that the client has not received in childhood
