Humanistic approach

• What are all the other approaches, unlike the humanistic approach?


  The humanistic approach believes humans have free will but the other approaches are deterministic
• What are the assumptions of the humanistic approach?

  • All humans have free will
  • Everyone is unique and has innate drive to achieve maximum potential
  • Can only understand humans by studying them (not animals)
  • Psychologists should look at the individual (idiographic) rather than the average performance of a group (nomothetic)
• What does idiographic mean?

  Idiographic refers to the study of individual cases.
• What does nomothetic mean?


  When psychologists or researchers look at the average performance of a group when conducting studies.
• What does it mean that we are active agents?


  External and internal influences do not affect us and that we make differences by taking action
• What do Rogers and Maslow say?


  Reject the scientific models because we are unique instead - look at experience over general laws
• What is self-actualisation?


  The innate desire to realise and consequently attempt to achieve full potential
• What are the levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs?


  • Physiological
  • Safety
  • Love and Belonging
  • Esteem
  • Self-actualisation

  Personal growth is essential to developing and changing as a person
• What is congruence?


  Rogers says that congruence is aligning your concept of self (how you see yourself currently) with your ideal self (your dream state of being)
• What are conditions of worth?


  The external expectations and standards that people internalise from their early experiences with others, e.g. parents, teachers etc.
• What issues can arise from conditions of worth?


  Too big a gap between your self and ideal self = occurrence of incongruence = no self-actualisation

  Negative feelings occur - low self-esteem, depression, anxiety
• What can overcome the issues that arise from conditions of worth?


  Rogers suggests client-centred therapy
• What does Rogers aim to do with client-centred therapy?


  • Reduce gap between self-concept and ideal self
  • Helps people cope with everyday life events
• What does Rogers say about worthlessness?


  Sense of worthlessness is rooted from childhood experiences and can be explained from the lack of unconditional love
• What are the strengths of the humanistic approach?


  • Rejects attempts to break down behaviour and advocates for looking at the whole person (holism) - makes it more valid
  • Positive approach - has been praised for being more person-centred
• What are the weaknesses to the humanistic approach?

  • Limited application - little real world-application, has limited impact
  • Untestable concepts - short on empirical evidence
  • Cultural bias - more appropriate in an individualistic society (like seen in the Western world) rather than collectivist (like seen in Asian communities who often take into account the impressions and feelings of others around them and let them influence their actions)