Humanistic approach

Question 1

Define the humanistic approach

Answer 1

An approach to understanding behaviour, which emphasises the importance of subjective experience and each person’s capacity for self-determination

Question 2

Define free will

Answer 2

The notion that humans can make choices and are not determined by internal biological or external forces

Question 3

Define self actualisation

Answer 3

The desire to grow psychologically and fulfil one’s full potential becoming what you are capable of

Question 4

Define hierarchy of needs

Answer 4

A five level hierarchical sequence in which basic physiological needs (such as hunger) must be satisfied before higher psychological needs (such as self esteem and self actualisation) can be achieved

Question 5

Define self

Answer 5

The ideas and values that characterise ‘i’ and ‘me’ and includes perception and valuing of ‘what I am’ and ‘what can I do’

Question 6

Define congruence

Answer 6

The aim of rogerian therapy , when the self -concept and ideal self are seen to broadly accord/ match

Question 7

Define conditions of worth

Answer 7

When a parent places limits/ boundaries on their love for their children. For instance , a parent saying ‘I will only love you if…’ I

Question 8

How is the humanistic approach different to other approaches?

Answer 8

Many of the approaches are considered determinist to some degree with the suggestion that behaviour is shaped by forces we have no control in, even the cognitive approach.

The humanistic approach is different as it claims that humans are self - determining and have free will

Question 9

What does the humanistic approach argue about free will?

Answer 9

That people are still affected by external and internal influences, but are also active agents who can determine their own development

As active agents, we are all unique

Question 10

Who was Abraham Maslow ?

Answer 10

One of the founders of the humanistic movement

Question 11

What was one of Maslow’s main interests?

Answer 11

What motivates people

Question 12

How did Maslow talk about motivation?

Answer 12

He described a hierarchy of needs that motivate behaviour

In order to achieve our primary goal of self actualisation , a number of deficiency needs must be met first

Question 13

What is at the bottom of the hierarchy of needs?

Answer 13

Physiological needs (food water etc)

Question 14

What is the next stage in the hierarchy of needs?

Answer 14

Next deficiency need is Safety and security

Question 15

What is next?

Answer 15

Love and belongingness

Question 16

What is next of the hierarchy of needs ?

Answer 16

Self esteem

Question 17

What are the ‘rules’ of the hierarchy of needs?

Answer 17

A person is only able to progress through the hierarchy once the current need in the sequence has been met , at the top is self actualisation

Question 18

What does self actualisation represent?

Answer 18

The uppermost level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Question 19

What are the four lower levels called?

Answer 19

Deficiency needs - they must be met before an individual can work toward self actualisation

Question 20

What is personal growth?

Answer 20

It’s concerned with developing and changing as a person to become fulfilled, satisfied and goal orientated

There are important psychological barriers that may prevent a person from reaching their potential

Question 21

What did Carl rogers argue?

Answer 21

For personal growth to be achieved , an individual’s concept of self must have congruence with their ideal self

Question 22

What did Rogers suggest if the gap between the two ‘selves’ was too big?

Answer 22

The person will experience a state of incongruence and self actualisation will not be possible due to negative feelings and low self esteem

Question 23

How did Roger’s say one could reduce the gap between self-concept and ideal self ?

Answer 23

Rogers developed client-centred therapy (counselling) to help people with the problems of everyday living

Question 24

What did Rogers claim about negative feelings?

Answer 24

They have their roots in childhood and can often be linked to a lack of unconditional positive regard from parents

Question 25

So what did Rogers do as a therapist?

Answer 25

Provided clients with unconditional positive regard that they failed to receive as children

Question 26

What is a strength of this approach?

Answer 26

It rejects attempts to break up behaviour and experience into smaller components (reductionism)

Question 27

What approaches are reductionist ?

Answer 27

Behaviourists - explain behaviour as a simple stimulus

Cognitive approach - see humans as information processing machines

Biological approach- reduces behaviour into its basic physiological processes

Psychodynamic - Freud describes the whole personality as three things thé I’d, ego and superego

Question 28

In contrast what does the humanistic approach advocate?

Answer 28

Holism- the idea that subjective experiences can only be understood by considering the whole person

Question 29

However , what is good about reductionist approaches?

Answer 29

They may be more scientific because the ideal of science is reduce behaviour to independent and dependant variables

Question 30

What is an issue with the humanistic psychology?

Answer 30

There are relatively few concepts that can be broken down to single variables and measured

This means that in general, humanistic psychological is short on empirical evidence to support it’s claims

Question 31

What is another strength of this approach ?

Answer 31

It is optimistic
It has been praised for bringing a positive image of the human condition

Freud saw humans as prisoners of their past and claimed that all of us existed between ‘common unhappiness and absolute despair’

Humanistic’s see all humans as basically good - so suggests that this approach is refreshing compared to other approaches

Question 32

Why May this approach be culturally biased?

Answer 32

Many ideas that are central to humanistic psychology (individual freedom , autonomy, personal growth) would be more associated with individualistic tendencies (USA)

Countries with collective tendencies emphasises more the needs of the group and interdependence

Therefore, it is possible that this approach does not apply universally and is a product of cultural context

Question 33

What was rogerian therapy like?

Answer 33

Those in therapy were ‘clients’ not ‘patients’ - he saw the individual as an expert of their condition

The therapy encourages the client towards the discovery of their own solutions within a therapeutic, warm atmosphere

Question 34

What should an effective therapist be like?

Answer 34

Genuine , empathetic, unconditional positive regard

Question 35

What has client -centred therapy been praised for?

Answer 35

Forward looking that focuses on present problems rather than dwelling on the past

However, much like psychoanalysis, it is best applied to mild psychological conditions