humanistic approach

Question 1

what are some assumptions of this approach (4)

Answer 1

Each individual is unique

Humans have freewill

Science should not be used to explain behavior

Humans should be viewed holistically (looking at something as a whole) and not reduced to parts

Question 2

what is free will

Answer 2

the idea that humans are not controlled or predetermined by internal biological forces or external factors, they have a choice as to their actions and behavior

Question 3

what does it mean for humans to be self- determining

Answer 3

they are active agents who make their own choices,
humans determine their own development and humans are in control of their own behavior

Question 4

who came up with this approach

Answer 4

Maslow (1950s)

Question 5

what 2 approaches did he reject and why

Answer 5

behaviorism because he had concerns with the lack of internal control of the model
rejected the psychodynamic approach as it was too deterministic

Question 6

what is humanism

Answer 6

an approach that rejects anything that limits your capacity for free will or shape your own behavior
it emphasizes individual uniqueness

Question 7

what does it mean by ‘subjective experience’

Answer 7

we have our own individual differences due to our uniqueness and this impacts how we interpret the world too

Question 8

who came up with the core assumptions

Answer 8

Bugental (1967)

Question 9

what are these core assumptions he produced (6)

Answer 9

we must study humans to understand humans not animals

only research areas useful to humans so then this can later be applied to us to make our experiences better

our internal experiences are important

free will is a powerful force

not great to study people in large groups (nomothetic)

humanists look at a person within their social context

Question 10

what did Maslow produce

Answer 10

hierarchy of needs

Question 11

what is self actualization

Answer 11

fulfilling ones potential

Question 12

what do humanists see self actualization as and why

Answer 12

psychological growth
We achieve fulfilment and satisfaction in life only when can see that we have improved as a person, this is why it sits at the end
Maslow argued need to discover our own pathway for achieving happiness and from there we need to fulfil this potential.

Question 13

draw out the hierarchy of needs on a whiteboard and check on sheet of paper in folder if u got it right

Answer 13

you can see what all the steps stand for

Question 14

order of heirachy of needs from top to bottom

Answer 14

self actualisation
self esteemn
love and belonging
safety and security
physiological needs

Question 15

what did rogers say

Answer 15

We should look at everything, every action or thought with a universal positive regard.
Good and bad are subjective
When dealing with a person you need to hold them in unconditional Positive Regard. People are good and we should expect their actions to be carried out with the best intent

Question 16

what was his view on judging

Answer 16

In Rogers view no-one should never pass judgment on any individual, you don’t share the meanings that they hold, or see the world like they do. We do this we create problems with their sense of self.
In his view the individual is an ‘expert’ on their own action – not a researcher or a therapist.

Question 17

what is actualizing tendency

Answer 17

an innate drive to grow that exists within all human beings. It is the motivational force that drives individuals to become more elaborated, integrated, and internally coordinated over time, leading to personal growth and development
this cannot be ‘achieved’ as it is a desire to grow and develop. Instead, we need to focus on what limits our ability to feel like we are growing.

Question 18

Incongruence meaning

Answer 18

What Rogers believed the issue with most people’s mental health
mismatch or conflict between an individual’s self-image and actual experience. It is the difference between our ‘real self’ and ‘ideal self’

Question 19

congruence meaning

Answer 19

when there is a consistency [matching] between how you see yourself [the perceived self] and the self you would like to be [the ideal self]

Question 20

how can you shift this to lessen the gap and become consistent with your ideal gap

Answer 20

a more realistic awareness of who you are, or equally a more realistic set of aspirations for the ideal self.
The way to shift these beliefs is through unconditional positive regard, from loved ones, parents or if necessary, from a therapist.

Question 21

conditions of worth meaning

Answer 21

when someone else frames your value, importance, or telling you how to act.
significant others can use your behavior as a gateway for inclusion, acceptance, or love. He argued that psychological issues are a direct result of these conditions.
e.g choose a career or university course to make their parents happy as they want to close gap between the ideal version of themselves (how they think they should be) and the real version of themselves (how the person acc is)

Question 22

what type of therapy did Rogers find

Answer 22

counselling

Question 23

what type of approach (general meaning of approach not like behaviorism or something) does counselling take

Answer 23

Person-centred approach to therapy - client led

Question 24

what did rogers make counselling about

Answer 24

implemented positive model of ideal mental health. [Jahoda]
allowed for a movement of non-medical practitioners to work with and support those with complex needs or mental ill health

Question 25

what are the 4 principles of counselling

Answer 25

Unconditional Positive Regard
Non-Judgmental Attitude
Disclosure
Reflection

Question 26

Unconditional Positive Regard meaning

Answer 26

Without unconditional positive regard, the client will not disclose certain information, could feel unworthy, and may hold onto negative aspects of the self.
the therapist’s attitude must portray complete acceptance, nonjudgment, and support toward the client, regardless of what the client says or does.

Question 27

Non-Judgmental Attitude meaning

Answer 27

Rogers believed that people see their mistakes and knowing what needs to change even if they may not initially admit it. He also believed that by judging a person, you are more likely to prevent disclosure.

Question 28

disclosure meaning

Answer 28

Disclosure refers to the sharing of personal information. Rogers believed that in order for the client to disclose, the therapist must do the same. In modelling openness, you get a better insight from the client.

Question 29

Reflection meaning

Answer 29

In reflecting a person’s words in back to them the client feels listen to and understood. This then allows them to rehear their own thoughts presented in a different way. Rogers argued that beliefs become more real once they are presented back to them by someone else.

Question 30

2 strengths of humanism (1 study)

Answer 30

Harter et al. (1996) discovered that teenagers who feel they have to fulfil certain conditions in order to gain their parents’ approval end up not liking themselves. The researchers found that adolescents who create a ‘false self’, pretending to be the kind of person their parents would love, are also more likely to develop depression and a tendency to lose touch with their own true self.

The real-world effects of the acceptance of humanist counselling therapies
Millions of people have benefited from this approach
It has had a massive impact on several domains such as
Education
Mental health care. [DIHM]

Question 31

limitations of humanism

Answer 31

it represents an overly idealised and unrealistic view of human nature. People are not as good or as growth-oriented as humanistic theories suggest, and the approach does not recognise people’s capacity for self-destructive behaviour.

The assumption that all problems arise from blocked self-actualisation is an oversimplification, so encouraging people to focus on their own self-development, rather than on situational forces, may not be appropriate.

Question 32

holistic view meaning

Answer 32

looking at things as a whole
Humanistic psychology takes a holistic view of individuals, considering their thoughts, feelings, and experiences as interconnected. It looks at the whole person rather than reducing them to behaviors or unconscious drives. This holistic perspective is particularly useful in fields like therapy, where understanding the person in their entirety is crucial for effective treatment.