Humanistic psychology Flashcards
Basic features of humanistic psychology
- Positive not negative outlook
- Growth not pathology
- Goals not causes
- Rooted in philosophical existentialism
- Sprouts into some personality and social psychology
key humanistic psychologists
Maslow and Rogers
what was Maslow’s theories about?
Model of Motivation
looked at instincts, hierarchy of needs
theory of development
theory of pathology
therapy
explain Maslow’s theory about instincts
said that animals are instinct animals and humans are instinctoids
said there are two types of motivation
what are instinct animals?
animals have instincts that make them behave in a particular way depending on the genetics of the species
what are instinctoids?
human beings have instinctoid tendencies instead of instincts that make humans develop and grow positively due to their genetics unless stunted
what are the two types of motivation according to Maslow’s theory
deficiency needs (D) and growth needs (B)
what are deficiency needs?
all animals have these
when you don’t get enough of something, you need to satisfy those needs
body reminds you of this unpleasant feeling to make you seek out the thing you’re missing to prevent death
homeostatic, preventative
e.g. hunger, thirst
what are growth needs?
goal-directed needs
they have to do with what you want out of life
aspiration, cumulative
explain Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory
- The needs at the top can only be satisfied if you’ve already satisfied the ones at the bottom - stepping stone model
The needs at the top are ones that are more sophisticated - they make us distinctively human compared to the ones at the bottom which are shared with animals
what are the different hierarchy of needs according to Maslow?
- Bottom level - physiological: hunger, thirst, breathing - basic
- Safety: physically safe from predators
- Belonging and love: relationships and socialisation
- Self-esteem: how you feel about yourself, status
○ Additional: Understanding
○ Additional: Aesthetics - Top level - self-actualisation - need to understand the world, have pleasant aesthetic experiences - most sophisticated
○ Additional: Self-transcendence
what evidence did Maslow find to support his model of motivation?
Methodology was historical biography
- Read biographies of eminent people e.g. Albert Einstein
- Studied them and made a list of their characteristics as he believed them to be self-actualised as they have satisfied their needs through B-cognition rather than D-cognition
what is B-cognition?
peak experiences, intrinsic motivatio
what is D-cognition?
pragmatic daily grind, extrinsic motivation
what characteristics did Maslow find of self-actualised people from his research?
○ Self-acceptable
○ Other-acceptance
○ Realism
○ Ethicality
○ Intimacy
○ Independent
○ Autonomous
○ Mirthful
explain Maslow’s theory of development
choices combined with discipline
explain Maslow’s theory of pathology
said the cause is that fundamental needs are unmet and unsatisfied
explain Maslow’s therapy
eclectic and pragmatic
critiques of Maslow’s theories
- No original sin - is society or parents always to blame? Are they no bad genes?
- He studied paragons of humanity rather than normal people - was he looking at actualisation or achievement? Can normal people become self-actualised?
- Explanation for pathology - how does he explain psychosis? Not specific enough
- Sample bias - small and limited sample - diminishes quality of evidence
- Hagiography - may be idolising geniuses and skipping past other factors - bias?
- How does he explain hunger strike, risks for fun, anorexia? Higher needs are met before lower needs in these cases
- Esteem is linked to belonging
- Some cultures emphasise community rather than the self
what was Roger originally?
a Freudian psychologist
how did Roger’s beliefs differ to psychoanalysis?
Didn’t agree that instinctual drives for aggression and sex are primary motivators
Not playthings of the ID
More optimistic - people can turn their lives around
how did Roger’s therapy differ from psychoanalysis?
Therapist as facilitator, not sculptor
Reflective not directive
Faith in client native ability
‘True change comes from within’
Facilitating growth - more gentle
how was Roger’s theories similar to cognitive approaches?
emphasises subjective construal
what was Roger’s theories about?
Self-actualisation
General drive
Expresses itself, unless stunted
Analogy with language
No Maslovian preconditions
what promotes self-actualisation according to Roger?
Unconditional positive regard for client
B-love is more sophisticated love you have when satisfying higher needs
Corresponds with Christian notion of ‘caritas’ - loving people without preconditions
If exposed to unconditional positive regard, an organismic self develops
If we get conditional or negative regard, conditions of worth are developed
Conditions of worth leads to conflicted self-concept developing and you get ego-defensive
Setting up contingencies of self worth - traditional concept of liking yourself is made conditional on you meeting certain preconditions - leading to low self-esteem and self-regard
what does Roger mean by organismic valuing?
We instinctively know what we want and need unless we’re confused
Childhood is not destiny, we can grow at any time
Society should nurture people
Goal is to become a fully-functioning person
how does one become a fully-functioning person?
by being self-congruent, mature, decent, understanding, liberal, idealist
what are the goals of Rogerian therapy?
- Want people to find their true self to become self-congruent
- Want to get rid of conflicted self-concept created by conditions of worth
- Want to realise the ideal self
- Discontented, criminal, neurotic –> contented, law-abiding, carefree
method of Rogerian therapy
Create core conditions of counselling
- Therapist and client are in psychological contact
- The client is in a state of incongruence - anxious, vulnerable
- The therapist is in a state of congruence - integrated in the relationship
- The therapist experiences unconditional positive regard for client
- The therapist experiences empathic understanding for the client
- The therapist minimally succeeds in communicating their unconditional positive regard for and empathic understanding of the client
results of Rogerian therapy
Manifold benefits for client
- Greater realism
- Greater rationality
- Greater responsibility
- Greater self-esteem
- Greater intimacy
- Greater ethicality
benefits of Roger’s therapy
- Showed scientific tendencies - encouraged testing of theory
- Admitted his theory was useless of psychosis
- Taped sessions for data
- Use of Q-sort methodology
critiques of Roger’s therapy
- Instinctive knowledge of needs? Too much sugar, fat, salt - wants and needs are different - addictions kill but are nice
- Trust of human nature - sadism, rape, slaughter - is only society flawed?
