Humanistic Approach

Question 1

Who came up with the humanistic approach

Answer 1

Abraham Maslow

Question 2

Assumptions of humanistic approach

Answer 2

• humans have free will
• each individual is unique, can never generalise results of experiment = no external validity
• scientific method should not be used to explain behaviour
• humans should be viewed holistically + not reduced to parts

Question 3

What is free will

Answer 3

Idea that humans aren’t controlled/ predetermined by internal biological forces or external factors
Have a choice to actions and behaviours
Humans are self determining agents that make own choices

Question 4

Maslows hierarchy of needs

Answer 4

1. Self actualisation = fulfilling human potential -> everyone’s unique so self actualisation in own way
2. Esteem needs = independence achievement, positive self evaluation
3. Love + belonging = friendship, giving + receiving affection
4. Safety needs = security, stability, freedom, protection
5. Physiological needs = food, warmth, water, air

Question 5

Who is Carl rogers

Answer 5

Humanistic psychologist, used counselling to help patients reach full potential + be happy

Question 6

Define ideal self, concept of self and congruence

Answer 6

Concept of self = what you think of yourself
Ideal self = what you would like to be
Congruence = ideal self matches self concept

Question 7

What happens if a persons self is not congruent and how could this be improved

Answer 7

• experience psychological issues ( sadness, anxiety, insecurity)
• benefit from humanistic counselling

Question 8

What are conditions of worth

Answer 8

What we think we need to change about ourselves to have self worth -> removing it helps patients achieve congruence

Question 9

What is the main feature of humanistic counselling

Answer 9

= unconditional positive regard as it removes clients conditions of worth allowing them to achieve congruence

Question 10

Strengths of humanistic approach

Answer 10

1. Free will -> matches our subjective experiences of life
2. Roger Therapy = client centred therapy emphasises clients free will + subjective experiences
   + applied to develop treatments for mental disorders
   + ideas from humanistic approach also used in cognitive behavioural therapy today

Question 11

Weaknesses of humanistic approach

Answer 11

• can’t study self actualisation scientifically, based on abstract concepts eg congruence + self actualisation
  
  • can’t be operationalised
  • can’t be used to make predictions about behaviour
  • can’t be tested for cause and effect relationship
• ignores biological explanations -> too holistic, can’t incorporate reductionist accounts of psychological disorders