Humanistic approach Flashcards
What is free will?
The notion that humans can make choices and are not determined by internal, biological or external forces.
What does Maslow’s hierarchy state?
Every person has an innate tendency to achieve their full potential - to become the best they can be.
All 4 lower levels must be met before the individual can’t work towards self-actualisation
What is the order of Maslow’s hierarchy?
Self actualisation
Esteem
Love/belonging
Safety
Physiological
What is the self?
An individual has a ‘self’ and an ‘ideal self’
What is congruence?
The gap between perceived self and ideal self is too big, then the individual will experience a position of incongruence
What are Rodger’s core conditions in counselling?
- Empathy
- Congruence -> genuine, trusting relationship between them
- Unconditional positive regard
What can disrupt self-actualisation?
Psychological barriers may prevent a person from meeting their potential. Progress is often disrupted by failure to meet lower levels.
Life experiences, including divorce, and loss of a job cause an individual to fluctuate between levels of the hierarchy
What is the strength of the humanistic approach?
Holistic approach - rejects attempts to break up behaviour and experiences into smaller counterparts. being holistic means it may have more validity than its alternatives due to studying meaningful human behaviour within a real world context.
What are the two weaknesses of the humanistic approach?
Holism - seen as less scientific as few concepts can be broken down into single variables and measured. Therefore short on empirical evidence
Culturally biased - Ideas that underpin humanistic psychology such as freedom, autonomy, personal growth are more readily associated with individualistic cultures. Collectivists emphasise needs of the group & interdependence. Approach cant be applied universally.
