Humanistic approach

Question 1

Humanistic approach

Answer 1

Approach to understanding behaviour that emphasises the importance of subjective experience and each person’s capacity for self-determination
- Person-centred approach

Question 2

Free will

Answer 2

• Suggests humans are self-determining and have free will
• Still affected by internal and external influences but also have active agents who can determine their own development
• Maslow rejects more scientific models that establish general principles of human behaviour
• We are all unique so psychology should concern itself with the study of subjective experience rather than general laws

Question 3

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Answer 3

• 5 levelled hierarchical sequence in which basic physiological needs must be satisfied before higher psychological needs
  1) Physiological needs = food, water, sleep
  2) Safety + security = employment, family, health
  3) Love + belongingness = friendship, family, relationships
  4) Esteem = Confidence, achievement, respect
  5) Self-actualisation = morality, problem solving, acceptance

Question 4

Self-actualisation

Answer 4

• Desire to grow psychologically and fulfil one’s full potential - becoming what you are capable of
• There are important psychological barriers that may prevent a person from reaching their potential

Question 5

The self, congruence and conditions of worth

Answer 5

• Rogers - argued that for personal growth to be achieved an individual’s concept of self must be equivalent to, or have congruence with their ideal self
• Too big of a gap between the 2 selves = state of incongruence and self-actualisation won’t be possible
• To reduce the gap Rogers developed client centred therapy - to help people cope with problems of everyday living
• Claimed many of the issues we experience as adults (low self-esteem + worthlessness) have their roots from childhood
• Explained by lack of unconditional positive regard from parents - parent who sets limits of their love ‘I will love you if…’ - stores up psychological problems for child in the future
• Roger provided his clients with unconditional positive regard that they didn’t receive as a child

Question 6

Humanistic approach - evaluation - strength

Answer 6

• Not reductionist
• advocates holism - the idea that the subjective experience can only be understood by considering the whole person
• approach may have more validity by considering meaningful human behaviour within real-world context

Question 7

Humanistic approach - evaluation - limitation

Answer 7

• Cultural bias
• many ideas of the HA e.g freedom, personal growth would be more associated with individualist countries
• Collectivist countries may not see ideals of HA as important
• Possible that app doesn’t apply universally and is a product of the cultural context within which it was developed