humanistic approach Flashcards
what did Maslow believe about needs?
he stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs. when one need is fulfilled, a person seeks to fulfil the next one, and so on
what did Carl Rodgers believe people needed in order to grow?
he agreed with Maslow but also said that they need
- an environment that provides them with genuineness
- acceptance
- empathy
what is the humanistic approach based upon?
humans are self-determine and have free will
rejects scientific models that attempt to establish universal laws
focuses on explaining healthy growth in individuals
what does this approach claim humans are like?
they are self-determing and have free will
what is free will?
this means when we are active agents who have the ability to determine our own development
how is the humanistic approach person centred?
it states that we cant establish general rules/laws of human behaviour as all humans are unique
what are the 5 stages of mallows hierarchy of needs?
self actualisation
esteem needs
social needs (love/belonging)
safety needs
basic needs (physiological)
what is the goal of the hierarchy of needs?
the primary goal of all individuals is to self actualise. (fulfil their potential)
all 4 lower levels (deficiency needs) of the hierarchy must be met before the individual can do this
progress through the hierarchy can only be done once the need is met
what are some examples of basic needs?
breathing
food
water
sleep
homeostasis
execretion
what are some examples of safety needs?
security of body, employment, resources, morality, family, health property
what are some examples of social needs?
friendship, family, sexual intimacy
what are some examples of esteem needs:
self esteem
confidence
achievement
respect of others
respect by others
what are some examples of self actualisation?
morality
creativity
spontaneity
problem solving
lack of prejudice
acceptance of facts
what is self-actualisation?
when everyone has an innate tendency to achieve their full potential
what is personal growth?
it is an essential part of what it is to be human. it is concerned with developing and changing as a person to become more fulfilled, satisfied and goal orientated
why my some people not experience self actualisation?
not everyone will manage it as there are important psychological barriers that may prevent a person reaching their potential.
why must the self and congruence be equal?
in order for personal growth to be achieved, an individuals concept of self must be equivalent to congruence with their ideal self
what is the concept of self?
the way someone sees themselves
what is the ideal self?
who they want to be
what happens if there is a gap between the two selves?
they will experience a state of incongruence, this will result in low self esteem. this means that self actualisation would not be possible due to the negative feelings of self worth that would occur.
why do humanists believe we suffer with many issues as an adult?
a lack of unconditional positive regard from parents when we were children
where parents only give conditional positive regard
what does both conditional and unconditional positive regard place on individuals>
conditions of worth
what are conditions of worth?
it is when the parents place limits or boundaries on their love of their child e.g. saying ‘I will only love you if….’
what must therapies provide people with if they didn’t experience it as a child`/
unconditional positive regard
what type of therapy did Rogers introduce?
client/person centred therapy
how did Rogers client centred therapy work?
he referred to those in therapy as ‘clients’ as he saw them as an expert on their own condition
the therapy is non-directive
the client is encouraged to discover their own solutions in an atmosphere that is non-judgemental and supportive
what does Rogers client centred therapy reduce?
it reduced the incongruence between the self concept and ideal self
what did Rogers therapy introduce?
transformed psychotherapy and introduced a variety of counselling techniques
AO3: how is ‘reductionism versus holism’ a strength to the humanistic approach?
the humanistic approach is not reductionist it is a holistic explanation
it states that subjective experience can only be understood by considering the whole person
this approach may have more validity than other approaches such as the behaviourist and cognitive, which are reductionist
however, this means it can be very difficult to test empirically
AO3: how is ‘real life application’ a strength to the humanistic approach?
it has had a positive impact on therapies
it is forward looking and effective
it focuses on present problems rather than dwelling on the past
aspects of the approach translate well into theraputic goals, which can be useful
AO3: how is ‘positive approach’ a strength to the humanistic approach?
it promotes a positive image of the human condition
it sees all people as basically good, free to work towards the achievement of their potential and in control of their lives.
this is a direct contrast with the psychodynamic approach which claims we all exist between ‘common unhappiness and absolute despair’
AO3: how is ‘culturally biased’ a limitation to the humanistic approach?
ideas such as individual freedom, autonomy and personal growth are more associated with individualist cultures e.g. USA
collectivist cultures (e.g. India) emphasise the need of the group, community and interdependence so may not identify with the ideas and values of humanistic psychology
