Humanistic Flashcards
what are humanistic theories concerned with?
Human experiences, uniqueness, meaning, freedom and choice.
what do they propose about human behaviour?
We have free will - humans can make choices and are not determined by biological or external forces.
what type of agents are we?
We are active agents who have the ability to determine our own development
what does maslow propose?
A hierarchy of needs
what are the 5 levels of maslow’s hierarchy?
Physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization.
what does maslow believe?
Humans are motivated by needs beyond those of basic biological survival.
what is self-actualization?
Our desire grow and develop to achieve our full potential.
what must happen before you work towards self actualization?
All four levels of the hierarchy must be met.
what is a criticism of maslow’s hierarchy?
It is difficult to measure/test as it is different for everyone.
what does the self concept include?
Ideal self – the person we wish to be
Actual self (real self) – the person we are
what is congruence?
A healthy sense of wellbeing is established if an individual maintains a reasonable consistency between ideal self and actual behaviour.
what is incongruence?
The gap between ideal self and actual self
what can incongruence lead to?
Low self-worth and maladjustment.
what can defence mechanisms do?
Defence mechanisms (distortion, denial, blocking) can stop the self from growing and changing, and widen the gulf between our ideal self and true self.
what are conditions of worth?
A parent who sets boundaries or limits on their love for their child is storing up psychological problems for that child in the future.
what is the humanistic approaches main application?
Therapeutic treatment.
what are the 2 types of therapy?
CCT (Client Centred Therapy)
Gestalt Therapy
what is cct?
The client is encouraged to develop positive self-regard and overcome the mismatch between their actual self and ideal self.
what is the aim of gestalt therapy?
The aim is to help the client become a ‘whole’ (gestalt) person by getting them to accept every aspect of themselves.
what techniques are used on gestalt therapy?
Techniques of gestalt therapy include confrontation, dream analysis, and role playing.
what is an effective therapist?
Able to provide clients with the unconditional positive regard they had failed to receive as children.
how do they view individuals?
Holistically, as if you take a reductionist approach, who the person really is can be lost.
what is wrong with the scientific approach?
It is too objective and inflexible - humans are subjective with their thoughts and behaviours.
3 strengths of the humanistic approach
- enabled psychologists to explore human existence with more sensitivity than the more scientific methods as it is idiographic and holistic
- real life contribution as psychological theories have been shown to be effective in the treatment of some disorders such as depression and stress
- positive approach to behaviour
2 weaknesses of the humanistic approach
- the use of qualitative techniques has been questioned as they are not scientific or measurable - subjective nature of the approach - due to the vagueness of such terms as ‘self-actualisation’ and fully-functioning person’, little empirical research has been carried out – untestable concepts
- not all cultures share the assumption that individual achievement brings fulfilment. therefore to apply this approach to all people would demonstrate cultural bias.
