The Humanistic Approach

Question 1

Why is the humanistic approach termed third force?

Answer 1

As it is aimed to replace the two main approaches - Behaviourism and Psychodynamic

Question 2

What is the humanistic approach?

Answer 2

An approach developed by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow in the 1950s which concerns topics that are meaningful to human beings and emphasises the importance of the individuals striving towards personal growth and fulfilment, less so on deterministic and artificial approaches.

Question 3

What are the assumptions of the Humanistic Approach?

Answer 3

• Each person can exercise free will
• Each person is a rational and conscious being and not dominated by unconscious primitive instincts
• Humans strive towards achieving self-actualisation
• Each person is unique

Question 4

What is free will?

Answer 4

People have full conscious control over their own destiny

Question 5

What qualitative methodology is used by humanistic psychologists?

Answer 5

• Unstructured interviewing
• Participant observation
• Diaries, letters and biographical material

Question 6

Who was Abraham Maslow (1943)?

Answer 6

• An American Psychologist who in1940-1950 developed the Hierarchy as a way for employers to get the best out of their employees by understanding their needs.
• He believed that the more basic need the more powerfully it is experienced and the more difficult it is to ignore

Question 7

Summarise Maslow’s Hierarchy?

Answer 7

Maslow believes humans are motivated by needs beyond those of basic
biological survival.

Fundamental to human nature is the desire to grow and develop to achieve
our full potential - referred to as ‘self-actualisation’.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs ranges from basic physiological needs, safety
and security, love and belonging to higher level psychological and
actualisation needs.

All four levels of the hierarchy must be met before an individual can work
towards self actualisation

Self-actualisation concerns psychological growth, fulfilment and satisfaction
in life and is the final stage in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

We have an innate tendency to self-actualize

Question 8

Who was Carl Rogers?

Answer 8

• One of the pioneering founders of the humanistic approach
• He focused on the concept of self and self-acceptance
• Rogers moved away from traditional psychoanalysis and developed Person Centred Approach to the therapy - client led
• Roger focused on a positive image of the human condition rather than Freuds “sick half”

Question 9

What are the two selves made up in Carl Rogers Self Theory?

Answer 9

• Real Self
• Ideal Self

Question 10

What is the Real Self?

Answer 10

• How I am in the real world
• More Objective
• How others see me

Question 11

What is the Ideal Self?

Answer 11

• Who I wish I could be if I were the best “me”
• Evidences the growth potential
• Can also evidence unrealistic expectations

Question 12

What are the two basic needs Rogers claimed that people have?

Answer 12

• Positive Regard from others
• A feeling of self worth

Question 13

What is Congruence?

Answer 13

A healthy sense of wellbeing established if an individual maintains a reasonable consistency between ideal self and actual self.

Question 14

What is Incongruence?

Answer 14

Where there is a difference between the self and ideal self

Question 15

What can Incongruence lead to?

Answer 15

Low self worth and maladjustment/anxiety

Question 16

What do defence mechanisms stop the self from doing?

Answer 16

Defence mechanisms such as Distortion, denial and blocking can stop the self from growing and changing, and widen the gulf between our ideal self and true self

Question 17

When do your feelings of self-worth develop?

Answer 17

During Childhood

Question 18

What are the feelings of self-worth influenced by?

Answer 18

Interactions and significant others

Question 19

What are conditions of worth (negative regard)?

Answer 19

The limit of love a parent sets on a child.

When a person is accepted ONLY if they do as they’re told (strings attached).

Question 20

What is unconditional love (positive regard)?

Answer 20

When a person is accepted for who they are (no strings attached).

Question 21

What is an example of conditions of worth?

Answer 21

‘We’ll love you more if you win this race.’

Question 22

What is an example of unconditional love?

Answer 22

‘We love you no matter what.’

Question 23

What is self-Actualisation?

Answer 23

A person’s motivation to reach his or her full potential. As shown in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a person’s basic needs must be met before self-actualisation can be achieved

Question 24

What is the first stage of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

Answer 24

Physiological

Question 25

What is the second stage of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

Answer 25

Safety

Question 26

What is the third stage of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

Answer 26

Love/Belonging

Question 27

What is the fourth stage of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

Answer 27

Esteem

Question 28

What is the fifth stage of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

Answer 28

Self-Actualisation

Question 29

Give Examples of Physiological needs

Answer 29

Breathing, Food, Water, Sleep

Question 30

Give Examples of Safety needs

Answer 30

Security of body, of employment, of resources, of morality, of the family, of health, of property

Question 31

Give Examples of Love/Belonging Needs

Answer 31

Friendship, Family, Sexual Intimacy

Question 32

Give Examples of Esteem Needs

Answer 32

Self-esteem, Confidence, Achievement, Respect of others, Respect by others

Question 33

How does conditions of worth affect people?

Answer 33

• Children who receive conditions of worth develop low self-esteem.
• Psychological issues are thought to arise as a direct result of conditions of worth, (constraints an individual believes are put upon them by significant others that they deem necessary to gain positive regard).
• This makes self actualisation difficult.
• Rogers believed that therapists should provide clients with unconditional positive regard to help resolve conditions of worth

Question 34

How does client-centred therapy help with conditions of worth?

Answer 34

• Rogers believed that therapists should provide clients with unconditional positive regard to help resolve conditions of worth and guide clients towards self-actualisation (focusing on the authentic, real self).

Question 35

What are the characteristics of a good therapist?

Answer 35

• Congruence- harmony between real self and ideal self.
• Absolute positive regard- unconditional liking and respect.
• Empathy- understanding of one’s situation.

Question 36

What are the strengths of the humanistic approach?

Answer 36

• Emphasises choice (free will), unlike the other approaches.
• Harter et al [and others] discovered that teenagers who have to fulfil certain conditions (‘false self behaviour’) end up not liking themselves.
• It value personal ideals and self-fulfilment.

Question 37

What are the weaknesses of the humanistic approach?

Answer 37

• Little empirical research has been carried out on ‘vague’ terms such as self-actualisation.
• The use of qualitative data had been questioned (lack of empirical evidence).