Rogers: Person-Centered Theory

Question 1

Carl Rogers

Answer 1

Best known as the founder of client-centered therapy

Question 2

Carl Rogers

Answer 2

developed a humanistic theory of personality that grew out of his experiences as a practicing psychotherapist

Question 3

Carl Rogers

Answer 3

Unlike most of these other theorists, however, he continually called for empirical research to support both his personality theory and his therapeutic approach

Question 4

Names of his therapy and theory

Answer 4

client-centered in reference to Rogers’ therapy and the more inclusive term person-centered to refer to Rogerian personality theory.

Question 5

What are the basic assumptions of person-centered theory?

Answer 5

the formative tendency and the actualizing tendency

Question 6

Formative Tendency

Answer 6

a tendency for all matter, both organic and inorganic, to evolve from simpler to more complex forms

Question 7

Actualizing Tendency

Answer 7

the tendency within all humans (and other animals and plants) to move toward completion or fulfillment of potentials (Rogers, 1959, 1980).

Question 8

This tendency is the only motive people possess.

Answer 8

Actualizing Tendency

Question 9

The need for maintenance

Answer 9

It includes such basic needs as food, air, and safety; but it also includes the tendency to resist change and to seek the status quo.

Question 10

The need for enhancement

Answer 10

This need to become more, to develop, and to
achieve growth

Question 11

Enhancement needs are expressed in a variety of forms…

Answer 11

This includes curiosity, playfulness, self-exploration, friendship, and confidence that one can achieve psychological growth.

Question 12

T or F. The actualization tendency is limited to humans only

Answer 12

False. Other animals and even plants have an inherent tendency to grow toward reaching their genetic potential—provided certain conditions are present.

Question 13

Three conditions Rogers deemed as necessary and sufficient conditions for becoming fully functioning or self-actualizing person

Answer 13

1. congruence
2. unconditional positive regard
3. empathy

Question 14

Self-actualization

Answer 14

a subset of the actualization tendency and is therefore not synonymous with it.

Question 15

actualization tendency

Answer 15

refers to organismic experiences of the individual; that is, it refers to the whole person—conscious and unconscious, physiological and cognitive

Question 16

self-actualization

Answer 16

the tendency to actualize the self as perceived in
awareness.

Question 17

Rogers (1959) postulated two self subsystems. What are these?

Answer 17

1. self-concept
   2 the ideal self

Question 18

The Self-Concept

Answer 18

includes all those aspects of one’s being and one’s experiences that are perceived in awareness (though not always accurately) by the individual. Not identical with the organismic self.

Question 19

What happens to people who are inconsistent with their self-concept?

Answer 19

Experiences that are inconsistent with their self-concept usually are either denied or accepted only in distorted forms.

Question 20

The Ideal Self

Answer 20

defined as one’s view of self as one wishes to be

Question 21

What is indicated when a wide gap between the ideal self and the self-concept occurs

Answer 21

incongruence and an unhealthy personality

Question 22

Awareness

Answer 22

“the symbolic representation (not necessarily in
verbal symbols) of some portion of our experience”

Question 23

Cite the three levels of awareness

Answer 23

1. some events are experienced below the threshold of awareness and are either ignored or denied
2. some experiences are accurately symbolized and freely admitted to the self-structure. Such experiences are both nonthreatening and consistent with the existing self-concept
3. involves experiences that are perceived in a distorted form. When our experience is not consistent with our view of self, we reshape or distort the experience so that it can be assimilated into our
   existing self-concept.

Question 24

Denial of Positive Experiences

Answer 24

many people have difficulty accepting genuine compliments and positive feedback, even when
deserved.

Question 25

positive regard

Answer 25

the person develops a need to be loved, liked, or accepted by another person

Question 26

positive self-regard

Answer 26

defined as the experience of prizing or valuing one’s self

Question 27

The source of positive self-regard, then…

Answer 27

lies in the positive regard we receive from others, but once established, it is autonomous and self-perpetuating.

Question 28

Barriers to Psychological Health

Answer 28

1. conditions of worth
2. incongruence
3. defensiveness
4. disorganization

Question 29

Conditions of Worth

Answer 29

“A condition of worth arises when the positive regard of a significant other is conditional, when the individual feels that in some respects he [or she] is prized and in others not”

Question 30

Conditions of worth

Answer 30

Conditions of worth become the criterion by which we accept or reject our experiences.

Question 31

external evaluations

Answer 31

Our perceptions of other people’s view of us. These evaluations, whether positive or negative, do not foster psychological health but, rather, prevent us from being completely open to our own experiences