humanistic approach

• key assumptions

  • humans possess personal agency and exercise free will
  • humans are inherently good and desire to better themselves and the world around them
  • primary goal is to attain self-actualisation and to realise ones full potential
  • humanistic perspective is optimistic and suggests people strive to overcome despair and hardships in order to enhance themselves
• key assumptions

  • humans differ to animals due to their consciousness allowing people to have subjective perceptions and experiences
  • therefore humanistic psychologists reject animal research because of its inability to be applied to complex human scenarios and perceptions
• psychology and free will

  • most approaches are determinists = they suggest our behaviour is entirely shaped by forces over which we have no control
  • humanistic psychology is different as is claims that humans are essentially self-determining and have free will
  • doesn't mean people aren't affected by external/internal influences but we are active agents who have the ability to determine our own development
• Maslow's hierarchy of needs

  • he proposed the hierarchy of needs to understand human drive - basic needs (food, water, shelter) must be met before higher needs (self esteem, belonging)
• what is self-actualisation

  
  

  reaching peak happiness, fulfilment, potential and psychological health
• maslows hierarchy of needs

  • hierarchy of needs (1943) is a model of psychological development
  • self-actualisation is the top of the hierarchy and includes spirituality, creativity and acceptance in the world
  • next is esteem including self-esteems and respect from others
  • then the need for love and belonging from friends, family and a sexual partner
  • after is safety needs including resources, employment, family and health
  • finally is physiological (basic needs) includes food, water, shelter
• self-actualisation

  • according to maslow, everyone has an innate tendency to achieve their full potential
  • represents the uppermost level of the hierarchy of needs
  • all 4 lower levels (deficiency needs) must be met before someone can work towards self-actualisation (a growth need) and fulfil their potential
• self-actualisation

  • humanistic psychologists regard personal growth as an essential part of what it is to be human
  • personal growth is concerned with developing/ changing as a person to be fulfilled, satisfied and goal-oriented
  • there are important psychological barriers that may prevent a person from reaching their true potential and achieving self-actualisation
• the self and congruence

  • Carl Rogers = for personal growth to be achieved an individual’s concept of self, must be similar to, (have congruence) with, their ideal self (the person they want to be).

  • too big a gap exists between the two ‘selves’ the person will experience a state of incongruence and self-actualisation will not be possible due to the negative feelings of self-worth that arise from incongruence.
• incongruence

  current:

  • doesnt go gym
  • sleeps until 1pm everyday
  • doesnt read but plays playstation

  ideal self

  
  

  goes to the gym 5 days a week and wakes up early
• congruence

  current:

  • goes to the gym 3-5 days a week
  • wakes up before 9am everyday

  ideal self

  • goes to the gym 5 days a week
  • wakes up at 8 am everyday
• holistic (not reductionist)

  • consciousness and emotions are difficult to scientifically study and require subjective approach to understand the human experience
  • humanism can gain better insight into individuals behaviour through qualitative methods e.g. unstructured interviewers
  • humanists arguably gain a deeper understanding on the richness of the human experience

  strength

  • humanistic approach rejects reductionists methods of studying human behaviour, focusing on the whole person taking a holistic approach
• influence on counselling

  • contemporary therapists use rogers ideas of unconditional positive regard to help clients work towards self-awareness
  • this means the humanistic approach is useful in clinical settings and has good world applications to business

  strength

  • humanistic psychology is that it has a major influence on psychological counselling