Humanistic Approach Flashcards
Origins and History of the humanistic approach
The humanistic movement developed in America in the early 1950s
It was termed the ‘third force’ since it aimed to replace the two main approaches – Behaviorism and Psychodynamic
Humanism was intended to offer a less deterministic and artificial approach
Humanistic theories are concerned with human experiences, uniqueness, meaning, freedom and choice.
Free will and Holism
Humanistic psychology is quite different from the other approaches by claiming that human beings are self determining and have free will
Abraham Maslow
Maslow believes humans are motivated but needs beyond those of basic biological survival.
Fundamental to human nature is the desire to grow and develop to achieve our full potential – referred to as ‘self-actualisation’.
Free will and Holism
Humanistic psychology is quite different from the other approaches by claiming that human beings are self determining and have free will
This does not mean that people are not affected by external or internal influences but we are active agents who have the ability to determine our own development
Therefore rejects scientific methods that established general laws as we are all unique
Study individual person and subjective experience
Person – centered approach (idiographic)
Abraham Maslow
Maslow believes humans are motivated but needs beyond those of basic biological survival.
Fundamental to human nature is the desire to grow and develop to achieve our full potential – referred to as ‘self-actualisation’.
Carl Rodgers
Carl Rodgers points out that individuals strive to achieve their ideal selves because they are motivated towards self improvement
‘each client has within him or herself the vast resources for self understanding, for altering his or her self-concept, attitudes and self-directed behaviour – and that these resources can be tapped by providing a definite climate of facilitative activities
Assumptions – Conditions of work
If this is given freely, without conditions (unconditional positive regard), then people will develop a healthy sense of self-worth, recognising their abilities & difficulties.
Children who receive conditions of worth (negative regard), such as criticism & blame, develop low self-esteem. E.g. ‘I will love you even more if you pass your exams’.
To avoid this, the parent’s should blame the behaviour not the child.
Incongruence and negative feelings of self-worth lead to low self-esteem.
What is the aim of Client Centered Therapy?
For people to solve their own problems where the councillor acts as a facilitator.
Outline techniques used in Client Centered Therapy
Therapist provides unconditional positive regard for the client
Therapist provide empathy and understanding for client
This helps dissolve client’s conditions of worth
Client can move towards being more true to self
I.e. behave more true to the person they are not what others want them to be.
Strengths of humanistic approach
It emphasises choice (free will and responsibility) – largely ignored by the other approaches
It considers subjective conscious experience
It values personal ideals and self-fulfillment
It has enabled psychologists to explore human existence with more sensitivity than the more scientific methods
It has contributed to psychological theories and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of some disorders such as depression and stress-consideration of influence eg. counselling, theoretical influence etc
It values the rights we deem every human individual needs for their psychological wellbeing.
Limitations of humanistic approach
This approach has less impact on mainstream psychology than the other approaches
The use of qualitative techniques has been questioned-lacks empirical evidence - the results obtained from the humanistic approach are not objected, they are subjected, so the results may not be reliable.
As the subject matter is individual experience it is not possible to formulate general laws of behaviour and as such is not a comprehensive theory but rather a loose set of abstract ideas. – A testable theory cannot be generated therefore variables cannot be manipulate to prove or disprove the testable hypothesis.
Due to the vagueness of such terms as ‘self-actualisation’ and fully-functioning person’, little empirical research has been carried out – untestable concept
Not all cultures share the assumption that individual achievement brings fulfilment
The basis of therapy assumes a person’s problems are all about congruence/conditions of worth etc. but ignores biological explanations e.g. role of serotonin in depression
