The Humanistic Approach Flashcards
What are two key figures in humanistic psychology?
Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow
How does humanistic psychology differ from other approaches in terms of free will?
Humanistic psychology claims that humans are self determining and have free will, unlike other approaches that suggest behaviour is determined by external or internal forces
What is the role of free will in human development according to humanistics psychology?
People have the ability to determine their own development and make choices that influence their lives
Why do humanistic psychologists like Rogers and Maslow reject scientific models of behaviour?
They believe that human beings are unique, and psychology should focus on the subjective experience of individuals rather than attempting to create general principles of human behaviours
What is the humanistic psychology approach to studying behaviour?
The approach is person - centred, focusing on the individual’s subjective experience rather than general laws
What is self actualisation in humanistic psychology?
It is the innate tendency to achieve one’s full potential and become the best version of oneself
Where does self actualisation fit in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?
It is the uppermost level of Maslow’s hierarchy, representing a growth need
What the first four levels of Maslow’s hierarchy called?
They are known as deficiency needs, which must be satisfied before reaching self actualisation
Are all people able to achieve self actualisation?
No, there are psychological barriers that may prevent some individuals from reaching their full potential
What might some psychological barriers to self actualisation include?
Low self esteem or negative self - concept
What does Rogers mean by the self-concept?
The way an individual sees themselves
What is the ideal self?
The person that an individual wants to be, their desired characteristics and qualities
What is congruence and incongruence in humanistic psychology?
The state where an individual’s self concept is broadly equivalent to their ideal self.
The state where the self concept and ideal self are too different, leading to negative emotions such as low self worth
What happens if there is a large gap between the self-concept and ideal self?
It creates incongruence, leading to negative feelings of self worth and preventing self actualisation
How does Rogers suggest reducing the gap between the self - concept and ideal self?
Through client - centred therapy, which helps individuals cope with everyday problems and work towards congruence
What are conditions of worth according to Rogers?
Conditions set by parents or others that specify criteria for receiving love or acceptance
How can conditions of worth affect a child?
They can create psychological problems, such as low self esteem or feelings of worthlessness, which persist into adulthood
How does unconditional positive regard help overcome the effects of conditions of worth?
It provides an individual with acceptance and love without conditions, promoting congruence and allowing for personal growth
What is a strength of the humanistic approach? (not reductionist)
This approach rejects any attempt to break up behaviour and experience into smaller components.
Humanistic psychologists advocate holism, the idea that subjective experience can only be understood by considering the whole person
This approach may have more validity than its alternatives by considering meaningful human behaviour within its real - life context
What is a limitation of the humanistic approach? (limited application)
The humanistic approach has relatively little real world - application
The approach has also had very limited impact within the discipline of psychology as a whole
Humanistic psychology lacks a sound evidence base since the approach has been described, not as comprehensive theory but as a loose set of abstract concepts
What is a strength of the humanistic approach? (positive approach)
Humanistic psychologists have been praised for “bringing the person back into psychology” and promoting a positive image of the human condition
Humanistic psychology offers a refreshing and optimistic alternative to Freud’s view of humans being slaves to their past and claims that all humans exist somewhere between ‘common unhappiness and absolute despair”
Humanistic psychology sees all people as basically good, free to work towards the achievement of their potential and in control of their own lives
What is a limitation of the humanistic approach? (cultural bias)
Many ideas central to humanistic psychology (such a freedom, autonomy and personal growth) would be much more readily associated with individualist cultures in the western world like the United States
Collectivist cultures like India which emphasise the need for groups, community and interdependence, may not identify so easily with the ideas and values of humanistic psychology
This makes it possible that the approach may not travel well and shows it’s a product of the cultural context within which it was developed
