Humanistic

Question 1

(Assumption) Why does the approach believe in using less scientific research methods or case studies?

Answer 1

All people have a unique experience of the world and that is what psychologists should study

Question 2

(Assumption) What is meant by free will?

Answer 2

Everyone has the power to determine their own destiny as people are active agents and can control and change the environment in which they live.
People are therefore responsible for their own actions and growth.

Question 3

(Assumption) What is self actualisation?

Answer 3

The innate tendency for individuals to reach their true potential. It happens once a person has flufilled the heirachy of needs

Question 4

(Assumption) What is self image in concepts of self?

Answer 4

your perceptions of yourself e.g. strengths and weaknesses, traits

Question 5

(Assumption) What is ideal self?

Answer 5

The characteristics or traits you want to have

Question 6

(Assumption) What is the result of self image = ideal self

Answer 6

Congruence and good mental health allowing for self actualisation

Question 7

(Assumption) What is the result of self image not being the same as ideal self?

Answer 7

incongruence and poor mental health

Question 8

(Assumption) How does the approach believe incongruence can be lessened?

Answer 8

By building self confidence to improve self image or making the ideal self more realistic

Question 9

(Assumption) Describe Maslow’s heirarchy of needs.

Answer 9

(bottom) physiological e.g. food, water, sleep
safety needs e.g. security, protection, stability
Belonging and love needs e.g. need for friends and love of others
Self esteem needs e.g. self respect, know your strengths and weaknesses
Self actualisation

Question 10

(Assumption) What are the three preconditions for a person to self actualise?

Answer 10

no restraints imposed by others
fulfilled the heirachy
an ability to know yourself

Question 11

(Assumption) What are conditions of worth?

Answer 11

only telling a child they are loved if their behaviour is deemed as acceptable
e.g. daddy only likes it when his little girl is good

Question 12

(Assumption) what is unconditional positive regard?

Answer 12

to be loved and accepted for who they are

Question 13

(Assumption) What does client centered therapy involve?

Answer 13

therapist offering unconditional positive regard and empathic understanding so congruence and self actualisation are possible

Question 14

(Evaluation) Why is the importance of conscious experience and feeling a strength?

Answer 14

We know feelings influence behaviour e.g. anger example

Question 15

(Evaluation) Why is the optimistic view point and importance of personal growth a strength?

Answer 15

Positive and gives us control over our behaviour

Question 16

(Evaluation) Why is the responsibility for own behaviour a strength?

Answer 16

You choose your behaviour, it isn’t determined by the environment or unconscious thoughts

Question 17

(Evaluation) Why is practical application a strength?

Answer 17

suggests it works and helps people so is more likely to be correct

Question 18

(Evaluation) Why is ignoring mental processes not on a conscious level a weakness?

Answer 18

Makes it simplistic as it ignores other things that could effect our behaaviour

Question 19

(Evaluation) Why are the unscientific method a weakness?

Answer 19

It cannot be properly investigated so there is no scientific evidence to support it

Question 20

(Evaluation) Why is self actualisation said to be culture bound a weakness?

Answer 20

In other cultures group achievements are often ore important, people self actualise in different ways so it cannot be generalised due to individual differences

Question 21

(Evaluation) Why is focus on the individual a weakness?

Answer 21

generalisations cannot be made as the theories are not true for everyone. It does not account for individual differences

Question 22

(Evaluation) What are other problems with self actualisation

Answer 22

May not be possible, theory based upon may not exist

It is hard to measure as it cannot be tested objectively