Humanism-Maslow

• Assumptions of the Humanistic approach-

  
  

  Behaviour must be understood in terms of the subjective experience of the individual

  -If you want to understand how a person acts, you need to understand that person, including how they see the world (phenomenological viewpoint)

  
  

  The way we act is not determined just by a present stimulus or past learning

  -Humans can make choices about their actions-we have free will
• It emphasizes the importance of subjective experiences and personal growth rather than external factors or predetermined traits.
• The humanistic approach focuses on understanding how people experience themselves as individuals within social contexts.
• Maslow's hierarchy of needs:

  • The humanistic approach in psychology emphasizes individual growth, free will and personal fulfilment. It contrasts with deterministic views of behaviour -psychodynamic and behaviourist theories.
  • Abraham Maslow, known for his theory of self-actualisation and the hierarchy of needs.
  • He proposed that human motivation is driven by a series of needs that must be satisfied in a specific order. His hierarchy is typically depicted as a pyramid, with the most basic needs at the bottom and higher-level psychological needs at the top.
• Key features of Maslow's theory:

  • progression through the hierarchy- People must satisfy lower-level needs before they can move on to higher level psychological needs.
  • Self actualisation is rare- Maslow believed that only a small percentage of people achieve self actualisation.
  • Holistic view of human motivation- The theory emphasizes that humans are motivated by a variety of needs, not just by basic survival or external rewards.