The humanistic approach

Question 1

Define self actualisation

Answer 1

• The innate desire to achieve or fulfil ones full potential.
• Takes the form of peak experiences characterised by feeling of euphoria and the absence of fear and inhibition.

Question 2

Summarise personal growth.

Answer 2

• Essential part of what it is to be human.
• Developing and changing as a person to become fulfilled, satisfied and goal-orientated.

Question 3

What are deficiency needs?

Answer 3

• Lower needs in Maslow’s hierarchy which need to be met in order to achieve self actualisation.
• Physiologial, safety, love and belonging and esteem.

Question 4

What is self concept?

Three parts

Answer 4

Self image - how you presently see yourself.

Ideal self - who you want and feel you should be.

Self esteem - how much you like and accept yourself as you are.

Question 5

Define congruence and incongruence and what is the importance?

Answer 5

A state of synchrony between the self image and ideal self.

When an individuals self image and ideal self are too different.

Necessary to self actualise.

Question 6

Describe unconditional positive regard

Lack of –> incongruence

Answer 6

Parents love and accept their children regardless of their behaviour.

Question 7

Define conditions of worth.

Answer 7

Standards are placed on a child by a parent which they believe they must meet in order to be accepted.

Question 8

Describe Carl Rogers person centred therapy.

(Rogerian therapy)

Answer 8

• Client as expert (not therapist).
• Therapists role is to guide the client themselves.
• Therapist provides the client with unconditional positive regard by showing: acceptance, empathy and understanding.
• When the client feels sufficiently supported conditions of worth affecting their self concept dissolve.

Question 9

Aim of Rogerian therapy

Answer 9

• Close the gap of incongruence between the selves.
• Increase the persons feelings of self worth - potential to self actualise.
• Help the person become more fully functioning.

Question 10

Describe free will

Answer 10

Human beings are active agents who can influence their own personal destiny within the constraints imposed by other forces.

Question 11

Evaluation

Answer 11

+ Humanistic psychologists have been praised for bringing the person back into psychology and promoting a positive image of the human condition.
+ Rejects attempts to break behaviour and experience into smaller components - not reductionist

– One issue with humanistic psychology is that unlike alternatives e.g. behaviourism, there are very few concepts which can be broken down into single variables and measured: not scientific.
– Many ideas that are central to the approach such as individual freedom, autonomy and personal growth would be more readily associated with an individualistic culture such as the US: culturally specific