PAPER 2 - APPROACHES - the humanistic approach

Question 1

what is the fundamental belief of the humanistic approach?

Answer 1

we can all have free-will over our lives, achieve self-atualisation (given appropriate conditions) e.g unconditional positive regard

Question 2

what is free will?

Answer 2

ability to choose your own path in life with the constraints imposed by other forces e.g. biology

Question 3

what is self-actualisation?

Answer 3

achieving your full potential, with accurate sense of reality

Question 4

what is the hierarchy of needs?

Answer 4

considers the process of growth and fulfilment from basic needs (food&shelter) to ultimate self actualisation

Question 5

what is congruence?

Answer 5

exists when there is a match between our perceived and ideal self (mismatch = incongruence = disorders)

Question 6

what is focus on self?

Answer 6

we need positive regard and a feeling of self worth/self esteem - contributed to by significant others

Question 7

what are conditions of worth?

Answer 7

caused by conditional love and conditional acceptance of others - more likely to lead to mental disorders to those not experiencing CoW

Question 8

what is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

Answer 8

self actualisation - moral, creative etc.
I
esteem - confidence, respect etc.
I
love/belonging - friends, family etc.
I
safety - security of body etc.
I
physiological - food, shelter etc.

Question 9

what did rogers mean by ‘conditions of worth’

Answer 9

when people experience conditional positive regard and the conditions that they perceive other put on them

Question 10

what is the position taken by a humanistic counsellor?

Answer 10

therapists provide empathy and unconditional positive/non-judgmental regard, expressing acceptance and understanding, regardless of feelings and attitudes

Question 11

what is the aim of a humanistic counsellor?

Answer 11

allows client to be authentic and more of their true self, lets client lead, conditions of worth are dissolved

Question 12

what are the strengths of the humanistic approach?

Answer 12

• relevance of hierarchy of needs to economic development
• research support for conditions of worth

Question 13

why is ‘relevance of hierarchy of needs to economic development’ a strength of the humanistic approach?

Answer 13

(Hagerty 1999) found relationships between economic growth and measures of maslows levels in 88 countries over 34 year period - lower levels of need (e.g. food) = lower growth

Question 14

how is ‘research support for conditions of worth’ a strength of the humanistic approach?

Answer 14

• individuals that experience conditional positive regard are more likely to show ‘false self behaviour’
• Harter et al - found teens who feel they need to fulfil certain conditions for parent approval, often grow up not liking themselves

Question 15

what are the limitations of the humanistic approach?

Answer 15

• lack of experimental evidence for effectiveness of therapy
  -hierarchy of needs based on western culture
• humanistic approach is unrealistic

Question 16

how is ‘lack of experimental evidence for effectiveness of therapy’ a limitation of the humanistic approach?

Answer 16

• no causality - no scientific credibility, therapy doesn’t directly stop mental disorders
• cant evaluate scientifically

Question 17

why is ‘lack of experimental evidence for effectiveness of therapy’ limitation, contradictory?

Answer 17

because people who have humanistic counselling show signs of positive outcomes that could be effective

Question 18

how is ‘hierarchy of needs is based on western culture’ a limitation of the humanistic approach?

Answer 18

• cannot be applied to other cultures
• study in china - belongingness seen as more fundamental, self actualisation defined in terms of contributing to community
• some cultures are collectivist, some are individualist

Question 19

how is ‘the humanistic approach is unrealistic’ a limitation?

Answer 19

• does not allow for self destructive and pessimistic behaviour
• view that personality development is only directed by innate potential growth, oversimplified
• humanistic assumption is that all problems arise from blocked self actualisation