Humanistic Psychology

Question 1

What does every individual being viewed mean for this approach

Answer 1

• We are all different and should be treated as such
• this approach is unlikely to divid people into groups who share similar characteristics such as age
• this approach as a very idiographic way of viewing people

Question 2

What are the main four assumptions of humanistic psychology

Answer 2

Every individual is unique
Free will
People should be viewed holistically
The scientific method is not appropriate to measure behaviour

Question 3

What does everyone having free will mean for the approach

Answer 3

• Humans are self-determining – we are not affected by external or internal influences.
• Ultimately, this means we are in charge of how we develop and progress through life
• this means that a person is responsible for their own behaviour, social or anti-social.

Question 4

What does everyone being viewed holistically mean for the approach

Answer 4

• If only on part of them is considered then much of what could be affecting them might be missed.
• Humanists do not believe in focusing on childhood during therapy – they believe the whole life should be considered.

Question 5

What does scientific method is not appropriate to measure behaviour mean for humanistic psychology

Answer 5

• It argues the scientific method tries to be too objective and yet humans are subjective in the way they think and behave.

Question 6

What is self actualisation

Answer 6

Everyone has an innate drive to achieve their full potential. The achievement of that full potential is called self-actualisation.

Question 7

What is maslows theory of motivation

Answer 7

We are motivated to use free will to reach our fullest potential.

Question 8

What is the order of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Answer 8

1 - physical needs for survival
2 - need for safety
3 - need for love and belongingness
4 - Esteem needs and feeling accomplished
5 - self actualisation where you achieve full potential

Question 9

What are characteristics of self actualised people

Answer 9

• A strong sense of self awareness
• A fully accepting view of themselves and others for who they are
• The ability to deal with uncertainty and the unknown
• A strong sense of creativity

Question 10

What was the method of Aronoff

Answer 10

Aronooff compared two jobs in the British West Indies, fishermen and cane cutters. Cane cutters where paid for how much cane the whole group cut even if they where of off sick, so they had high job security but low pay. Fishermen worked alone doing harder work so had less secure job but more pay. Both groups where assessed on maslows hierarchy of needs.

Question 11

What where the results of aronoff’s study

Answer 11

The cane cutters where lower many of them still trying to satisfy security. Many of the fishermen however had satisfied the lower levels of the hierarchy

Question 12

What is the conclusion of aronoff’s study

Answer 12

Only those who had satisfied lower needs in the hierarchy would become fishermen allowing them to develop self esteem. This suggests people cannot reach higher levels of the hierarchy till they have satisfied lower levels

Question 13

What is the evolution of Aronoff’’s study

Answer 13

High ecological validity as it studied people in their natural environment. However only studied one group of people

Question 14

What is flow theory

Answer 14

This is when someone is completely caught up in a task sport or activity so they do not think about everyday matters

Question 15

What did Rogers believe was the path to self actualisation

Answer 15

Rogers believed instead of working their way up the hierarchy rogers thought that people move towards this depending on their own thoughts about themselves and the way they are treated by others

Question 16

What could prevent people from reaching self actualisation according to rogers

Answer 16

You’ll develop in a psychologically healthy way if your path to self actualisation is not blocked. Blockages such a being raised in tough environment can lead to psychological problems

Question 17

What was rogers two parts of the self

Answer 17

Rogers outlined the difference between how someone sees themselves (their self concept) and how they would like to be (their ideal self)

Question 18

What did rogers say that the self concept is created by

Answer 18

The self concept depends on wether they receive unconditional positive regard or wether conditions of worth are set for them

Question 19

What is unconditional positive regard and what does it create

Answer 19

This is where a person gets affection and support no matter what their behaviour is like.

This is needed to create the self concept

Question 20

What are conditions of worth and what do they create

Answer 20

Conditions of worth are approval and affection given as a result of behaving a certain way.

This would create someone who follows the rule of social life however could stop them from reaching self actualisation.

They may focus on keeping other people happy rather developing their own personality

Question 21

What is congruence how can we accomplish thi

Answer 21

This is where some becomes a fully functioning person

If the person experiences unconditional positive regard

Question 22

What is incongruence and how can this be created

Answer 22

This is where the ideal self is different to the self concept. This occurs is the person has set conditions of worth o

Question 23

What was the aim of rogers therapy

Answer 23

To remove incongruence by making someone into their ideal self

Question 24

What is rogers therapy know as

Answer 24

It is called client centred therapy

Question 25

How does rogers therapy work

Answer 25

The client decides what is talk about and eventually solves their own problems. The therapist simply makes them more aware of their thoughts and actions

Question 26

What was the result of a study testing the effectiveness of rogers therapy

Answer 26

A group of seven hundred suffering from common mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety where studied over five years. They took a questionnaire before and after therapy to measure their condition. It was found 70% of the people found a significant improvement.

Question 27

What are some positive emulations of humanistic psychology

Answer 27

• positive approach states we are striving for better
• does not include deterministic approaches as it believe humans are too complicated for this
• treats people as individuals and whole people
• counselling techniques from approach have been effective

Question 28

What are some weaknesses of the humanistic approach

Answer 28

• The approach places little emphasis on factors such the role of genes
• it lacks objectivity is largely based on feelings and subjective reports
• the approach is ideographic meaning it does not create general laws making it less scientific