humanistic approach Flashcards
What is the key assumption of humanistic psychology?
Humanistic psychologists regard personal growth as an essential part of what it is to be human. Self-actualisation is when an individual realises their fullest potential and what their purpose in life is, humanistic psychologists believe that everyone is striving towards achieving self-actualisation.
What is holism?
Opposite of reductionism; It argues that behaviour cannot be understood in terms of the components that make them up, rather psychologists should study the whole person to gain an understanding of all the factors that might influence behaviour.
What is free will?
Humanistic theories emphasise that people have control over their own destiny. While we are subject to many influences such as through society and biology, we as human beings have the personal choice to make a decision.
How does personal growth occur and how can it be prevented likewise?
Everyone can achieve their goals, wishes and desires in life through self-actualisation.
Rogers argues that for personal growth to occur the self and ideal self must be in congruence. The self-concept is our understanding of ourselves and who we imagine ourselves to be. When a person’s ideal self is in line with their self-concept, a state of congruence exists.
However, if an individual believes that there is something in the way of their growth, they can become dysfunctional - creating a state of incongruence.
Why do we face issues as adults according to Rogers in terms of conditions of worth?
Rogers argues that many of the issues we face as adults are rooted in childhood e.g., worthlessness.
What is conditional positive regard and what can it lead to?
Some suffer from lack of unconditional positive regard from parents (e.g., we love you no matter what). This is when parents will solely use conditional positive regard on their children (if you do this___ I will love you). This leads to the child developing an ideal self that is unattainably perfect or not reflective of their true genuine desires and values. As a result, the child’s ideal self is not in congruence with their self-concept, and this leads to dysfunction.
What is unconditional positive regard and what can it lead to?
However, children who have received unconditional positive regard would become fully functioning. This is because love without conditions or expectations led to the child being more likely to develop a positive and realistic self-image, meaning they are more likely to trust their own judgement and can experience positivity by living in the moment without criticising themselves.
What are Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?
Maslow outlines a sequence of human needs in the form of a pyramid.
1. Physiological needs - Food/Water
2. Safety and security - Safe place (home)
3. Love and belonging - healthy relationships
4. Self-esteem - feeling confident about oneself
5. Self-actualization - growth needs, full potential.
He argued that certain foundational needs must be met before an individual can achieve self-actualisation.
Acronym: Papa Said Look Starry Skies
What are deficiency means?
The first four stages are deficiency means: something important is missing in our lives if we do not meet these needs.
Basic needs must be satisfied before higher psychological needs can be achieved.
