Humanist Approach Flashcards
3 Assumptions of the humanistic approach
- Humans have free will and are active agents - they are able to control and determine their own development
- Humans strive towards self-actualisation
- To be psychologically healthy, the perceived self and ideal self must be congruent.
Who are the two main humanist researchers?
Maslow and Rodgers
Describe Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
A motivational theory that describes a five-tier model of human needs that one needs to meet in order to achieve self-actualisation. The bottom needs must be fulfilled before individuals can attend to higher needs.
What are the five levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, in order? Examples for each
- Physiological - Food, water, rest
- Safety - Security
- Belongingness and love - Friends, Intimate relationships
- Esteem - Prestige, feeling of accomplishment
- Self-actualisation - growth need. Achieving one’s full potential. A continual striving for personal growth and self-fulfilment.
What did Rodgers believe?
In order for a person to be truly happy and reach self-actualisation, there must be congruence between the perceived and ideal self
What is the aim of client-centred therapy?
What is meant by client centred therapy as non-directive?
To increase a person’s feelings of self-worth and reduce incongruence to promote self-actualisation
People viewed as “clients” and experts of their own condition whilst therapist acts as a guide
What is the difference between the perceived self and the ideal self?
The perceived self is how we see ourselves in real life, whereas the ideal self is the person we want to be.
What is congruence?
When there is only a small disparity between a person’s ideal self and their perceived self.
What is incongruence? What could leas to this?
When there is inconsistency/mismatch between a person’s ideal self and their perceived self.
Parents placing conditions of worth on a child.
What are conditions of worth?
Parent placing limits or boundaries on their love of their children – e.g. ‘I will only love you if you study medicine’.
3 traits a Rogerian therapist should show
Genuineness, empathy and unconditional positive regard.
2 Strengths(1 counter) of the humanistic approach
Positive approach:
Promotes a positive image of the human condition unlike Freud saw human beings as slaves to their past/unconscious. it sees all people as basically good, free to work towards the achievement of their potential and in control of their lives.
COUNTER - some critics argue that humanistic psychology represents an overly idealised and unrealistic view of human nature.
Research support for conditions of worth:
Individuals who experience conditional positive regard are likely to display more ‘false self-behaviour’ – doing things to meet others’ expectations even when they clash with their own values. Harter et al. (1996) found teenagers who created a ‘false self’ and pretended to be the kind of person his or her parents would love, were more likely to develop depression and a tendency to lose touch with their true self. These results are consistent with Roger’s theories.
2 Limitations (1 Counter) of humanist psychology
Culture-biased:
Many of the ideas that are central to humanistic psychology would be more associated with individualist cultures in the Western world. Collectivist cultures, such as India and China, which emphasise the needs of the groups, community and interdependence, may not identify so easily with the ideals and values of humanistic psychology. For example, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs doesn’t apply easily to collectivist cultures. Nevis (1983) found belongingness needs in China were seen as more fundamental than physiological needs and that self-actualisation was defined more in terms of contributions to the community than in terms of individual development.
Untestable concepts:
Concepts such as ‘self-actualisation’ and ‘congruence’ may be useful therapeutic tools but would prove problematic to assess under experimental conditions. COUNTER - Rogers did attempt to introduce more rigour into his work by developing the Q-sort – an objective measure of progress in therapy
