The Humanistic Approach Flashcards
Humanistic psychology
An approach to understanding behaviour that emphasises the importance of subjective experience and personal capacity for self determination
Free will
The notion that humans can make choices and are not determined by internal biological or external forces
Self actualisation
The desire to grow psychologically and fulfil one’s full potential- becoming what you are capable of
What is Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs?
A 5 levelled hierarchical sequence where physiological needs like food must be satisfied before higher psychological ones like self actualisation can be achieved
The order of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Physiological needs => Safety + Security => Love/Belonging => Esteem => self actualisation
Self
The ideas and values that an individual has about themselves
Congruence
The aim of Rogerian therapy - when the self-concept and ideal self are seen to broadly accord or match
Conditions of worth
When a parent places limits or boundaries on their love for their children
E.g. I will only love you if you study this degree
How we solve incongruence - client centred therapy
Aims to help ppl cope with issues of everyday living
Argued a lot of problems adults experience (low self esteem and worthlessness) can be linked to lack of unconditional positive regard
Should be provided in therapy to make up for it
Application to Psychological Conditions (S)
Rogers techniques are practiced widely in the US and UK in clinical settings and in education health and social work
Counter to Application to Psychological Conditions (L)
Only really effective when applied to “milder” conditions like depression and anxiety and not psychosis for example
Lack of reductionism (S)
Likely only approach that doesn’t reduce behaviour to model or theory
like bio or behaviourist
Advocates for holistic view - we can only understand someone’s subjective experience by understanding them as a whole
THUS may have more validity than its alternatives by considering real world context
Counter to Lack of Reductionism
Reductionist approaches may be more scientific as they can be experimented with IV and DV
There are few concepts that can be measured
THUS lacks empirical evidence to support claims
Positive Approach (S)
Promotes positive images of human condition => all are good and free to work to achieving potential and control of their lives
Opposes Freud’s idea we exist between “common unhappiness + absolute despair”
SUGGESTS a more optimistic alternative to their approaches
Western Cultural Bias
Ideas of individual freedom, autonomy and personal growth are more associated with individualist cultures
Collectivist cultures emphasises group needs community and interdependence => may not identify with humanistic view
SUGGESTS can’t be used universally and is a product of cultural context
