Self-Actualization & Learning Flashcards
The Humanistic Approach
An area of psychology that works off of the belief that all people have the potential for growth and development. No one is inherently evil or unworthy
Goal - for people to realize this themselves, allowing them to grow
Phenomenological
the importance of our personal experiences is emphasized
Self-actualization
Positive growth and enhancement of the self, leading to an enriched life and enhanced creativity
Reaching our full potential
Promotes congruence, wholeness
Actualization
Our tendency to find ways to enhance or maintain our person
Organismic Valuing Process
Describes Rogers’ idea that we inherently try to achieve self-actualization.
We evaluate whether experiences lead us towards self-actualization and feel off if they don’t
Fully functioning person
A way of being which leads to a meaningful, full life
oppenness
Positive regard
The acceptance, love and friendship of others
Can be conditional or unconditional
Conditions of worth
The things we need to fulfill to get conditional positive regard. Can we put upon us by others or by ourselves
Conditional self-regard
Conditions of worth we apply to ourselves
Conditions of worth and self-actualization
Conditions of worth interfere with self-actualization as we prioritize them
Free will
Rogers argues that we have free will and can choose to focus on self-actualization or conditions or worth
- There is a lot of disagreement about whether we really have free will or whether it just appears that way
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Self-actualization
Esteem (self-esteem and approval)
Love & belongingness (social needs)
Safety & physical security
Physiological
We work up through the pyramid
Roger vs Maslow
- Maslow put focus on biological needs as well which Rogers did not
- Both agreed that the need for the acceptance of others could interfere with self-actualization but
- However, Rogers saw complying to conditions as worth as negative, whereas Maslow saw needing the appreciation of others as part of being human
Parts of the self
I
Me
The I
Takes action and makes decisions
The me
What is seen, thought about, liked and disliked
Ideal self
What we want to be
Self-concept we want to possess
Actual self
Current state of self
Congruence
Gap between ideal and actual self closes
Occurs when self-actualization is achieved
Incongruence
Gap between ideal and actual self
Detachment
Not behaving according to our personal views, causing anxiety
Defense mechanisms - Denial
Denying the existence of an experience
Comparison to Freud - humanistic approach is kinder to us
Defense mechanisms - Distortion
distorting the situation so that it doesn’t affect your sense of self
Defense mechanisms - Subception/Subliminal Perception
We prevent a negative stimulus from reaching our consciousness