Humanistic Psychology

Question 1

What is humanistic psychology?

Answer 1

An approach to understanding behaviour that emphasises the importance of subjective experience and each person’s capacity for self determination

Question 2

What is free will?

Answer 2

The notion that humans can make choices and are not determined by internal biological or external forces

Question 3

What is self actualisation?

Answer 3

The desire to grow psychologically and fulfil ones full potential - becoming what you are capable of

Question 4

What is the hierarchy of needs?

Answer 4

A five-levelled hierarchy sequence in which basic physiological needs (such as hunger) must be satisfied before higher physiological needs (such as self esteem and self actualisation) can be achieved

Question 5

What is the self?

Answer 5

The ideas and values that characterise ‘I’ and ‘me’ and includes perception and valuing of ‘what I am’ and ‘what I can do’

Question 6

What is congruence?

Answer 6

The aim of Rogerian therapy, when the self-concept and ideal self are seen to broadly accord or match

Question 7

What are conditions of wealth?

Answer 7

When somebody places limits or boundaries on their love of a significant other

Question 8

What are the key assumptions of the humanistic approach?

Answer 8

• each individual is unique
• humans have free will
• science should not be used to explain behaviour
• humans should be viewed holistically and not reduced to parts

Question 9

Who was one of the founders of humanistic psychology and what was he interested in?

Answer 9

Abraham Maslow - interested in what motivated people and how to achieve self actualisation

Question 10

What did Maslow devise?

Answer 10

A hierarchy of needs, which outlines the path that is taken to achieve self - actualisation

Question 11

What are the levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs? (Highest - lowest)

Answer 11

Highest: self actualisation
Self esteem
Love and belongingness
Safety and security
Lowest: physiological needs

Question 12

What is included in the self actualisation level on Maslow’s hierarchy?

Answer 12

Self fulfilment

Question 13

What is included in the self esteem level on Maslow’s hierarchy?

Answer 13

Positive self thoughts, achievement and reputation

Question 14

What is included in the love and belongingness level on Maslow’s hierarchy?

Answer 14

Love, friendship and intimacy

Question 15

What is included in the safety and security level on Maslow’s hierarchy?

Answer 15

Safety, security and protection

Question 16

What is included in the physiological needs level on Maslow’s hierarchy?

Answer 16

Water, food and shelter

Question 17

What are the reasons for why many people will not achieve self actualisation?

Answer 17

Unexpected life events, personality factors, socioeconomic factors, illness

Question 18

What is used in client centred therapy to assess and treat the client?

Answer 18

Unconditional positive regard

Question 19

What did Rogers choose to do (unlike Freud) in his form of therapy?

Answer 19

• focus on the positive aspects of the person
• increase a client’s self worth and to reduce incongruence between self image and ideal self

Question 20

Evaluate humanistic psychology (not reductionist P)

Answer 20

Strength - rejects attempts to break up behaviour and experience into smaller components

Question 21

Evaluate humanistic psychology (not reductionist L)

Answer 21

Increased validity - considering meaningful human behaviour within a real world context

Question 22

Evaluate humanistic psychology (counterpoint to not reductionist P)

Answer 22

Weakness - reductionist approaches may be more scientific

Question 23

Evaluate humanistic psychology (counterpoint to not reductionist L)

Answer 23

Short on empirical evidence to support its claims

Question 24

Evaluate humanistic psychology (culture P)

Answer 24

Weakness - may be culturally biased as many ideas central to approach are more associated with individualist cultures in the western world

Question 25

Evaluate humanistic psychology (culture L)

Answer 25

Possible that the approach doesn’t apply universally