AO3: Humanistic approach

• Strength: Not reductionist

  What? Doesn't follow reductionism

  Who? Reductionist approaches:

  Behaviourist: Stimulus-response

  Cognitive: Information-processing 'machines'

  Biological: Physiological processes

  Psychodynamic: Personality

  Not reductionist:

  Humanistic: Hollism - free-will

  Why? More validity
• Limitation: Culturally biased

  What? Culturally-biased

  Who? Ideas (personal growth, free will, etc.) more associated with individualist cultures - not collectivist

  Why? Doesn't apply universally
• Strength: Positive approach

  What? Optimistic

  Who? Freud - prisoners of our past

  VS

  Humanistic psychologists - all people good, free to work towards achievement of their potential

  Why? Refreshing alternative