humanistic approach Flashcards
Humanistic approach definition
An approach to understanding behaviour that emphasises the importance of subjective experiences and each person’s capacity for self-determination
humanistic approach basic assumptions
-Every individual is unique
-Individuals have free will
-People should be viewed holistically
-Humanistic psychologists reject scientific models
Free Will
-The humanistic approach does acknowledge that individuals have constraints on their free will, in that there are social rules, laws and morals that restrict whether an individual can act upon their free will. However, they argue that ultimately, if someone wants to do something, they can choose to do it.
Self-Actualisation
This is the desire to grow psychologically and fulfil one’s full potential i.e., become what they are capable of. Maslow and Rogers have different ideas on self-actualisation. Maslow focuses on the hierarchy of needs and Rogers, on the self and congruence.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
-Physiological needs – food, water, oxygen, sleep
-Safety needs – security, protection, stability, freedom of fear.
-Belonging needs – need for friends, intimate relationships, love.
-Self-esteem needs – self-respect, perception of ability, status, recognition
-Self-actualisation needs – realising full potential
-All four lower levels of the hierarchy, the deficiency needs, must be met before the individual can work towards self-actualisation, the growth need, and fulfil their potential. As a result, not everyone is able to reach self-actualisation.
focus on the self
The ideas and values that characterise ‘I’ and ‘me’ and includes perception and valuing of ‘what I am’ and ‘what I can do’.
Congruence
The aim of Rogerian therapy, when the self-concept and the ideal self are seen to broadly accord or match
conditions of worth
Conditions of worth are when a parent places limits or boundaries on their love of their children. Rogers claimed that many of the issues experienced as adults, such as worthlessness and low self-esteem, have their roots in childhood and can often be explained by a lack of unconditional positive regard or unconditional love from parents. For example, a parent saying to a child, ‘I will only love you if you study medicine’
Client Centred Therapy
-The aim of Rogerian therapy is to increase the person’s feelings of self-worth, reduce the level of incongruence between the self-concept and the ideal self
-Client centred therapy sees the individual as the expert on their own condition. The therapy is non-directive, and the client is encouraged towards the discovery of their own solutions with a therapeutic atmosphere
-An effective therapist should provide the client with three things: genuineness, empathy, and the unconditional positive regard that they failed to receive as children.
