L12 - Humanistic Approach

Question 1

What basic needs do people need?

Answer 1

• Positive Regard from others: unconditional and conditional

- Feelings of self-worth: from childhood interactions w/parents. Further interactions with SOs in adulthood

Question 2

What happens when a person receives conditional positive regard?

Answer 2

• Conditional positive regard = conditions of worth (conditions to meet to be accepted)
• An individual will only experience a sense of self-acceptance is they meet the expectations that others have set

Question 3

How to measure our feelings of self worth?

Answer 3

• Similarity between perceived self and ideal self = congruence
• The closer the perceived self is to the ideal self, the higher our feelings of self worth
• Rare for a complete state of congruence, most people experience some degree of incongruence
• Most people see themselves largely consistent with their ideal self

Question 4

What did Rogers (1959) suggest?

Answer 4

• An individuals psychological problems were a direct result of the conditional positive regard they receive from others.
• With counselling, people can solve their own problems constructively to function better

Question 5

What is Counselling Psychology?

Answer 5

• Psychologists regard themselves as guides to help people understand themselves and find ways to enable their potential for self-actualisation
• Therapists provide unconditional positive regard, so provide a supportive env to dissolve the client’s condition of self worth
• The client can then be more true to their self

Question 6

Evaluation (+)

Answer 6

+ Believes in free will and individualism

Question 7

Evaluation (-)

Answer 7

• No determinism so less applicable
• Lacks scientific rigour, wants to study everyone individually but science relies on reductionism to study things objectively
• Concepts lack operationalisation. There is no objective measure whether someone has self-actualised, so there is a lack of evidence
• More associated with individualistic cultures. Collectivist cultures no do not identify with the ideals and values of humanistic psychology
• Presents an overly idealised and unrealistic view of human nature. Ignores pessimism + self-destruction