HUMANISTIC APPROACH

Question 1

Humanistic approach

Answer 1

• All human beings are self-determining and have free will
• rejects scientific models that attempt to establish principles of behaviour.
• We are all unique so focuses on our subjective experiences rather than general laws. (person-centred approach) - idiographic

Question 2

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Answer 2

• Self actualisation
• esteem needs
• belongingness and love needs
• safety need
• physiological needs

Question 3

Self actualisation

Answer 3

• Refers to the Innate tendency to achieve their full potential
• Represents the uppermost level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
• All four lower levels of the hierarchy must be met before the individual can work towards self-actualisation and fulfil their potential

Physiological needs, Safety needs, belongingness and love needs, esteem needs and self-actualization

Question 4

focus on self

Answer 4

• the self refers to the idea that characterise “i” and “me” and includes perceptions of “what i am” and “what i can do”

Question 5

aim of therapy is to establish congurence

Answer 5

• rogers argued that personal growth requires an individual concept of self to be congurence with the ideal self
• if too big a gap, the person will experience a state of incongurence and the self-actualisation isnt possible

Question 6

parents who impose conditions of worth may prevent personal growth

Answer 6

• issues such as worthlessness and low self esteem habe their roots in childhood and are due to a lack of unconditional positive regard from our parents
• a parent who sets boundaries on their love for their child (conditions of worth) by claiming “ i will only love you if…” is storing up psychological problems for child in the future

Question 7

humanistic approach has had long lasting effects on psychological councilling

Answer 7

• in rogers client therapy (counselling) an effective therapist should provide the client with three things:
  genuiness, empathy, unconditional positive regard
• the aim is to increase feelings of seld worth and reduce incongurences between self concept and the ideal self.
• rogers work transformed psycho therapy. non-directive counselling techniques are practised, not only in clinical setting but also throughout education health, social work and industry

Question 8

valuable contrast to reductionist explanations/approaches

Answer 8

• biological approach.
• Instead it emphasises a need to be holistic and consider the whole person and their unique perspective and subjective experience.
• This approach may have more validity than its alternatives by considering meaningful human behaviour within its real life context.
• c/a However, in doing this – it may be ignoring important components of explanations such as neurochemistry and reinforcement.

Question 9

practical applications.

Answer 9

• many modern counselling therapies are based on Rogerian ideas.
• For example, an effective therapist should provide the client with 3 things: genuineness, empathy and unconditional self-regard which increases in individuals’ feelings of self-worth. This therapy is effective and transformed psychotherapy dramatically.
• (counter-argument)However, it is best applied to treatment of mild psychological conditions such as anxiety and is less effective in treating psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia

Question 10

untestable concepts

Answer 10

• Includes many ‘vague’ ideas that are abstract and difficult to test such as ‘self-actualisation’ and ‘congruence’ under experimental conditions.
• Rogers did attempt to introduce more rigour into his work by developing a Q-sort – which was an objective measure of progress in therapy.
• Overall, this approach is anti-scientific and there is a lack of empirical evidence to support its claims.

Question 11

Culturally biased.

Answer 11

• Many ideas in the humanistic approach such as individual freedom, autonomy and personal growth which would be much more associated with individualist cultures in the western world e.g. USA.
• Collectivist cultures such as India, which emphasises more on the needs of the group, community and interdependence – many not identify with the ideas and values of humanistic psychology.
• Therefore, it is possible that this approach cannot be associated with all cultures and is a product of the cultural context within which it was developed.

Question 12

limited application - rogers therapy 8 marks

Answer 12

• critics argue compared to other approaches humanistic psychology has had limited impact within psychology, or pratical application of the world.
• however, rogerian theraoy revolutionised counselling techniques and maslows hierachy of neeeds has been used to explain motivation part in workplace
• this suggesrs that the approach does have value despite the fact like other approaches it is resolutely antiscientific