jones - humanism

Question 1

What is free will?

Answer 1

Human brings are active agents which have the ability to determine our own development

Question 2

What is a deterministic approach?

Answer 2

Our behaviour is entirely, or at least partly, shaped by forces over which we have no control

Question 3

What is humanistic psychology?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

What does humanistic psychology claim that human beings are?

Answer 4

Essentially self determining and have free will

Question 5

What type of approach is the humanistic approach?

Answer 5

Person-centred approach

Question 6

What do humanistic psychologists such as Maslow and Rogers reject and why?

Answer 6

Scientific models that attempt to establish general principles of human behaviour as they believe that humans are all active agents who are unique so psychology should concern itself with the study of subjective experience rather than general laws

Question 7

What are the main features of Maslow’s theory?

Answer 7

1. Emphasises the role of motivation in personal growth towards one’s potential (what motivates people)
2. equates motivation to the satisfaction of certain needs
3. arranged these needs in a hierarchy

Question 8

What is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

Answer 8

The key needs that all humans are required to fulfil which is arranged into a hierarchy

-> the bottom (deficiency needs) are more likely to be satisfied

-> the further you go up, the less likely you are to fulfil these growth needs which relate to our desire to grow as a person

-> A person almost always have to satisfy the lower needs before the higher needs can be satisfied

Question 9

What does Maslow say about life?

Answer 9

Series of peak experiences: moments of great achievement, ecstasy or elation when all deficiency needs are satisfied

Question 10

What are the five stages of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

Answer 10

1. self actualisation
2. esteem
3. belongingness and love
4. safety, protection and security
5. physiological

Question 11

What are self actualizers?

Answer 11

People who, for whatever reason, were fulfilled in life and had used their abilities to the fullest

Question 12

What are some characteristics of self actualizers?

Answer 12

1) More efficient perception of reality
2) Acceptance
3) Spontaneity and naturalness
4) Problem centred rather than ego centred
5) Need for privacy and being detached from situations
6) Independence from both cultural and environmental influences
7) Freshness of appreciation and experience
8) Having mystical or peak experiences
9) Feelings of kinship to others
10) Deep relationship with others
11) Democratic attitudes
12) Distinguishing between needs and ends, goods and evil
13) Philosophical, not hostile, sense of humour
14) Self actualising forms of creativity
15) Forming attitudes and values independently of cultures

Question 13

How many self actualisers did Maslow study to come up with the 15 characteristics?

Answer 13

18 (9 contemporaries and 9 historical figures)

Question 14

How many percent of people could self actualize? According to who?

Answer 14

20% according to rogers

Question 15

What is self actualisation?

Answer 15

The innate tendency to achieve their full potential and become the best they can possibly be

-> uppermost level of the hierarchy of needs therefore all four levels (deficiency needs) must be met before the individual can work towards it

Question 16

What is esteem?

Answer 16

Respect from others: status and public recognition

Respect for self: sense of competence and confidence

Question 17

What is belongingness and love?

Answer 17

Belongingness: membership of families, school communities, community groups, gangs etc

Love: from family, friends, or a significant other

Question 18

What is safety, protection and security?

Answer 18

Feeling and being safe from harm from family members, strangers or occupational hazards

Question 19

What are physiological needs?

Answer 19

The basic needs for physical survival including food, shelter, water, a liveable environment, clothing

Question 20

What was Maslow’s main interest?

Answer 20

Finding out what motivated people

Question 21

How does humanistic psychologists describe personal growth?

Answer 21

• essential part of what to be humans
• concerned with developing and changing as a person to become fulfilled, satisfied and goal orientated
• not managed by everyone
• important psychological barriers that may prevent a person from reaching their potential

Question 22

What is self?

Answer 22

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

Question 23

What is unconditional positive regard?

Answer 23

Being loved and cared for who you are and not what you do

Question 24

What is unconditional positive regard important and essential for?

Answer 24

Development of the self concept and well adjusted child

Question 25

Where is unconditional positive regard obtained from?

Answer 25

The mother in childhood

Question 26

What is resulted without unconditional positive regard?

Answer 26

Mental distress and psychological problems

Question 27

What is self worth?

Answer 27

High self worth means you value yourself

Question 28

How is high self worth achieved?

Answer 28

Our self image and ideal self has to be closely matched

Question 29

What does high self worth mean?

Answer 29

People are able to self actualise

Question 30

What is self image?

Answer 30

The idea one has towards their own abilities, appearance and personality

Question 31

What does Rogers believe about self image?

Answer 31

What we want to feel, experience and how we want to behave are consistent with our self image

Question 32

What is the ideal self?

Answer 32

Idealised version of yourself created out of what you have learnt from your every day life experiences, the demands of society, and what you admire in people

Question 33

What is congruence?

Answer 33

Similarity between a person’s ideal self and self image

Question 34

Why it is hard to achieve perfect congruence?

Answer 34

Due to conditions of worth

Question 35

What are conditions of worth?

Answer 35

When a parent limits or boundaries on their love of their children (eg. “I will only love you if…”

Question 36

What isnt closely matched when we experience incongruence?

Answer 36

Self image and ideal self

Question 37

What are we not capable of when in a state of incongruence?

Answer 37

Self actualisation

Question 38

What can incongruence create?

Answer 38

Negative self worth

Question 39

What do we use to hide the gap between self image and ideal self to reduce negative self worth?

Answer 39

defence mechanisms

Question 40

What do we do to make ourselves better?

Answer 40

Rationalise

Question 41

What is aim of the client centred theory?

Answer 41

to help people cope with the everyday living

Question 42

Why did Rogers call his patients clients instead?

Answer 42

Because he saw the individual as the expert of their own conditions

Question 43

What three things should therapy provide their clients with?

Answer 43

1) genuineness
2) empathy
3) unconditional positive regard

Question 44

What are the aims of Rogerian therapy?

Answer 44

1) increase the person’s feeling of self worth
2) reduce the level of incongruence between ideal and current self
3) help the person become a more fully functioning person

Question 45

Why would Rogers’ therapy be less effective in treating more serious mental disorders?

Answer 45

Because patients of more serious mental disorders cant discover their own solutions or an expert on themselves (eg. hallucinations or delusions in their hesd)

Question 46

What are some strengths of the humanistic approach?

Answer 46

+ holistic
-> humanists reject any attempt to break up behaviour and experience into similar components so it considers the whole person not single aspects
-> more valid because it considers meaningful human behaviour within its real life context

+ positive approach
-> humanistic psychologists have been praised for promoting a positive image of the human condition
-> humanistic psychology offers a refreshing and optimistic alternative as it sees all people as basically good, free to work towards the achievement of their potential and in control of their lives

Question 47

What are some limitations of the humanistic approach?

Answer 47

• limited application in real life
  -> humanistic psychology lacks a sound evidence base and it bring a described loose set of rather abstract concepts instead of a comprehensive theory
  -> the humanistic approach has a limited impact within the discipline of psychology as a whole
• untestable concept
  -> humanistic psychology includes a number if vague ideas that are abstract and difficult to test
  -> short on empirical evidence to support its claims
• cultural bias
  -> Many if the ideas that are central to humanistic psychology would be much more readily associated with individualist cultures in the Western world such as the United States
  -> Collectivist cultures which emphasise the needs if the group, community snd interdependence may not identify so easily with the ideals and values of humanistic psychology
  -> humanistic psychology wouldn’t travel well and is a product of the cultural context within which it is developed