Humanistic Approach Flashcards
what are the 3 key assumptions of the humanistic approach
- there is no point in generalising characteristics/ideas because each individual is unique (takes an idiographic approach)
- people should be viewed holistically (all aspects should be considered)
- scientific methods are not appropriate to measure behaviour because we have free will
what does the humanistic approach describe people as (AA)
active agents
what does being an active agent mean
you have the ability to determine your own development
what does the humanistic approach recognise about humans regarding free will
we are not necessarily free to do everything because of biological forces and societal. influences, however, we can make significant personal choices which shape our lives
give 2 strengths of the evaluation of free will to determine human behaviour
- promotes an optimistic view to human behaviour since people can make their own choices and work towards achievements
- arguably more valid as it considers human behaviour within its real-life context and tries to understand the person as a whole (and influencing factors), increasing its credibility
give 2 weaknesses of the evaluation of free will to determine human behaviour
- argued that it has little real-world applicability other than counselling and in the workplace
- the ideas are only applicable to cultures that are individualistic such as the Western world, not to collectivist cultures such as India, meaning the explanation lacks cross-cultural relevance and generalisability
what is self-actualisation
the desire to grow psychologically and fulfil your potential
what do humanistic psychologists regard as an ‘essential part’ of being human
personal growth - we are naturally good and driven to be the best versions of ourselves
what characteristics did Maslow find that self-actualised people shared (3)
- creativity
- accepting
- accurate in their perception of the world
how did Maslow believe an individual could experience self-actualisation
through peak experiences - moments of extreme inspiration and ecstasy during which all doubts and fears and forgotten
describe Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
5 levels:
basic needs -> safety needs -> relationship needs -> esteem needs -> self actualisation
what did Maslow believe was needed in order to fulfil our potential
all deficiency needs (underneath self actualisation) must be met in order to self actualise
give 2 strengths of using self-actualisation and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as an explanation for human behaviour
- based on in-depth qualitative data analysis whereby Maslow analysed the biographies and writings of 18 ‘self-actualised’ people and created a list of common qualities, adding validity to the explanation
- supporting evidence (Hagerty) which looked at 88 countries over 34 years and found that economically developed countries focused on education (an opportunity for children to self-actualise) whereas countries in early development focused more on physiological needs. this adds value and credibility to the idea because it supports Maslow’s beliefs
give 2 weaknesses of using self-actualisation and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as an explanation for human behaviour
- Maslow’s sample was androcentric because out of the 18 people, only 2 were female. this means that the explanation lacks generalisability
- Maslow’s theory is ethnocentric because different cultures may not structure the hierarchy in the same way, reducing the credibility of the research
what does the self (or our self-image/concept) refer to
how we perceive ourself as a person
what did Roger’s claim were a person’s ‘2 basic needs’
- positive regard
- a feeling of self-worth (these feelings develop in childhood and are formed as a result of children’s interactions with their parents
when does a person feel in a state of congruence
when there is a similarity between a person’s ideal self and their self-image
what are conditions of worth
conditions that we perceive that others put upon us which we believe need to be met in order to be accepted and viewed in a positive way
why did rogers believe that others often hinder our chance at self-actualisation
an individual may only feel self-acceptance if they meet a specific person’s expectation/conditions of worth. these perceived conditions may be unachievable/unrealistic unless the person is given unconditional positive regard, leading to lower self esteem
give a strength of using the evaluation of the self, congruence, and conditions of worth as an explanation for human behaviour
supporting evidence amongst adolescents (even teens given unconditional positive regard display false-self behaviour because they are trying to meet others’ expectations, often leading to poor psychological health and depression)
give 2 weaknesses of using the evaluation of the self, congruence, and conditions of worth as an explanation for human behaviour
- although the ideas are useful therapeutic tools, they are vague ideas that are difficult to test under experimental conditions, meaning that the approach lacks scientific validity and a clear cause and effect
- concepts such as the self and congruence are found to be ethnocentric (only applying to western cultures) which means that it is less applicable and lacks generalisability
what was Roger’s belief about counselling
with counselling, people would be able to solve their own problems in constructive ways and move towards being more authentic and true to themself
give 3 strengths of using counselling psychology to explain human behaviour
- applicable in counselling (Roger’s client centered therapy allows patients to take control of their own lives), meaning that it is useful in the real world to empower people
- supporting evidence - Elliot carried out a meta-analysis of 180 studies and found that client-centred therapy had a great effect on patients for at least a year, proving its applicability and validity because the treatments work
- when Roger’s created the Q-sort method as a way to measure progress, he made his theory more scientific which builds its credibility
what is Roger’s Q sort method in client-centered counselling
an objective way to measure behaviour through patients choosing their feelings on cards
