humanistic approach Flashcards
Assumptions
. all humans can determine their own behaviour - have free will *
. all humans have innate need for self-actualisation - will achieve this provided right enviro for personal growth
. each person is rational and conscious being - not dominated by unconscious primitive instincts
. person’s subjective experience and understanding of world greater importance to understanding the person then objective reality
Focus of humanism
. humanism focuses on the conscious mind
. and individuals present experience and future possibilities
. not past
. positive theory
. promotes health growth in individual
Define free will
. humans are self-determining
. our behaviour is due to our choices
. can reject any internal or external influences e.g. genes
Feature 1: Free will
. argues free will is possible
. humans are self-determining
. our behaviour is due to our choices
. can reject any internal or external influences e.g. genes
. have free will to make choices
. to enable personal change/growth
. are free to choose how we act
. humanist psychologist are concerned with unique/subjective experience of individuals
. rather than general laws of human behaviour
Define self-actualisation
. highest level
. not a need we seek cause of something we are lacking
. seek for personal growth
. aim to fulfil our potential
. continues to change throughout our lives
Feature 2: self-actualisation
. Maslow developed hierarchy of needs
. contains range of needs person requires for survival and growth
. more basic needs met before higher needs achieved
. can move up and down hierarchy - if needs lost/gained
. physiological - survival e.g. food
. safety - e.g. home, security of job
. love/belonging - giving and receiving acceptance and love e.g. family/friend
. esteem - respect of others, self-confidence
. self-actualisation - highest level
- not a need we seek cause of something we are lacking but for personal growth - aim to fulfil our potential - continue to change throughout our lives
Promises should leave everyone satisfied
. promises = physiological
. should = safety
. leave = love and belonging
. everyone = esteem
. satisfied = self-actualisation
Feature 3: actual/perceived self
. how we view ourselves
. comes from our own experiences of the world
. how other significant people (e.g. parents/peers) view and treat us
Feature 3: ideal self
. refers to the person we feel we should be
. person we want to be
Feature 3: congruence
. occurs when a match between perceived and ideal self
. enables person show personal growth - achieve personal goals
. mismatch between perceived and ideal self state of incongruence - likely have low self-worth poorer psychological health
. roger suggest person go through counselling close the gap - develop more health view of themself - more realistic achievable ideal self
Feature 3: conditions of worth
. standards placed on us by others
. person low self-esteem/worthlessness in adulthood may be consequence of early childhood due to COW
. childhood parents/signif other place limits on their love
. COW influence development
. believe can only accept themselves/be happy when reach these expectations set by others/themselves
. can lead to incongruence
Feature 3: conditions of worth - counselling
. counselling help deal with these issues (close the gap)
. therapist creates environment person feel unconditional positive regard
. accepts clients feeling/experiences
. avoid making judgement about their value or validity
. resolve the conditions of worth
. guide client towards self-actualisation
. help them focus on authentic self
Briefly evaluate the influence of humanistic psychology on counselling - compare to psychoanalysis
. forward looking WHEREAS psychoanalysis is backward looking
. more positive - individual is expert has free will WHEREAS psychoanalysis therapist is expert
. only effective on mild conditions e.g. anxiety
The influence of humanistic psychology on counselling (4-6m)
. Roger’s person centred therapy important form modern-day counselling
. refer to patient as client - saw individual as expert of own condition
. PCT non-directive - client encouraged exert free will - discover solutions to own problems
. forward looking - focuses on present problems
. aim of PCT increase self-worth, reduce incongruence - help become more fully functioning person
. emphasise importance creating warm supportive non-judgemental atmosphere
. patient achieve personal growth and congruence
. therapist must show: genuineness, empathy, unconditional positive regard
AO3 for humanistic: holistic approach
