Humanistic psychology

• Humanistic Basic assumptions- 


  Human psychology focuses on-

  -On conscious experience rather than on behaviours

  -On personal responsibility and free will rather than on determinisim

  -On discussion of experience rather than experimental methods
• Human theories emphasise that people have full conscious control over their own destiny.

  This is not to say that we are free to do anything at all, as we are subjected to many other forces, including biological and societal influences.

  However, humanistic psychologists believe that human beings are able to make significant personal choices within constraints imposed by forces
• Maslow (1968) called the Humanistic approach, the 'third force', behaviourism and the Psychodynamic approach being the other 2. Unlike psychanalysts, Maslow was not interested in what went wrong with people, but rather he was interested in finding out what could go right with them
• Hierarchy of needs-


  -Most basic psychological needs are at bottom of hierarchy and more advanced at top

  -Each level must be fulfilled before a person can move up a higher need

  -Maslow believe the more basic need, the more powerfully it is experienced and that the more difficult it is to ignore
• Maslow's theory stated: "We share the need for food with all living things, the need for love with (perhaps) the higher apes, (and) the need for self-actualisation with (no species)"
• Pyramid - 


  Top- Self actualisation

  -Esteem

  -Love/Belonging

  -Safety

  Bottom- Physiological
• Self actualization- 


  Morality

  Creativity

  Spontaneity

  Problem solving

  Lack of prejudice

  Acceptance of facts
• Esteem- 


  Self esteem

  Confidence

  Achievement

  Respect of others

  Respect by others
• Love/Belonging- 


  Friendship

  Family

  Sexual intimacy
• Safety - 


  Security of body, of employment, of resources, of morality, of the family, of health, of property
• Physiological- 


  Breathing

  Food

  Water

  Sex

  Sleep

  Homeostasis

  Excretion
• AO1 Self-actualisation - 


  Maslow found that most of those who attained this level shared certain characteristics. They tended to be creative, accepting of people and had a accurate perception of the world around them.
• AO1 Self-actualisation - 


  Maslow believed that such individuals experienced self-actualisation in the form of peak experiences. These are moments of extreme inspiration and ecstasy during which they felt able to leave behind all doubts, fears and inhibitions
• Carl Rogers believed that the self-concept refers to how we perceive ourselves as a person. He argues that we have 2 basic needs positive regard from other people and a sense feeling of self worth
• Rogers believed that our sense of self develops in childhood as a result of our interactions with our parents. He stated how we think about ourselves and our sense of self worth are important in determining our psychological health
• Rogers-

  The closer our self concept to our ideal self, the greater our feelings of self worth and the greater our psychological health
• Congruence - 


  When there is similarity between a person's ideal self and how they perceive themselves to be in real life, a state of congruence exists.

  However, if there is difference between the self and ideal self, a person is in a state of incongruence
• Conditions of worth- 


  Although other people may help the process of self actualisation. Rogers believes that they may also hinder it. The love and accreptance given is often unconditional.

  However, a person can also experience conditional positive regard and develop conditions of worth. These are conditions which they perceive others put on them and that they live up to them
• Influence of counselling psychology-

  -Rogers claimed an individuals psychological problems were a direct result of their conditions of worth and conditional positive regard that they would receive.

  -He believed that, with counselling, people would become more able to solve their own problems in constructive ways, and move towards becoming a more fully functioning person.
• Influence of counselling psychology- (Person centred counselling)

  -Instead of acting in a directive way, humanistic therapists help people understand themselves and to find ways to enable their potential for self actualisation

  -Aim is that therapists provide unconditional positive regard for feelings and attitudes that clients express

  -By doing this therapist is able to support client allowing them to dissolve conditions of worth, results in client moving towards being more authentic and true to self
• Strength of Maslows hierarchy-

  -Its been suggested that his hierarchy may have relevance on a larger scale than individual growth.

  -Hagerty(1999) examined relationship between economic growth and measures of Maslow's needs in 88 countries over 34 years. Found that countries in early stages of economic growth were characterised by lower needs.

  -Only in advanced stages of economic development did later needs in hierarchy become important. Argued that enrolment rates to education are significant indication for a drive of self actualisation
• Criticism of Maslow's hierarchy-

  -Devised by western psychologists and one could argue that it can only be applied to western societies.

  -However, he did later recognise that in some cultures hierarchy may be different order to the one he suggested.

  -This was evidence by Nevis (1983) found feelings or belongings was as important as the need for food in China.

  -Further research also supports this cultural variation, been found that Americans focus more on personal identity and self concept whereas Chinese, Japanese and Koreans define self concept more in terms of social relationship
• Support of Rogers- 


  -Harper et al (1996) found that teenagers who feel they have to fulfil certain conditions in order to gain parental approval frequently ended up not liking themselves very much.

  -This supports the idea of incongruence and conflict between self and conditions of worth
• Weakness of humanistic approach -

  -Much evidence that humanistic approach uses are not scientifically measurable.

  -Rogers himself was a believer in non-experimental methods, arguing that requirements of experimental methods make it impossible to verify results of counselling.

  -Most psychologists would argue that without empirical evidence the evaluation of a therapy, or theory may become very difficult
• Criticism of humanistic approach-

  -Its unrealistic, it represents idealised view of human nature. Critics would argue that humans are not as inherently good as this approach suggests

  -Theory fails to recognise that people can have a capacity for self destruction and that encouraging people to focus on their own self development rather than on situational factors may not be realistic in our society or constructive to individual
• Positive criticism of humanistic approach-

  -Its not deterministic as other theories such as biological approach , it takes a more holistic stance with the idea that subjective experience can be understood by considering whole person

  -May therefore mean humanistic approach has more validity than the alternatives such as behaviourism or cognitive approaches as it considers meaningful human behaviours within its context
• Positive criticism of humanistic approach-

  -It has been praised for 'bring the human back into psychology'.

  -Freud stated that we are all slaves to our past and that we all exist between 'common happiness and absolute misery'.

  -This approach offers a refreshing alternative where people are regarded as having free will to work towards their full potential