Humanist Approach

• The Humanist Approach


  • This approach is very different from the others
  • Focuses on conscious experience, personal responsibility and FREE WILL
  • Research through discussion of experience rather than the experimental method
  • Developed in the 1950’s as a ‘third force’ against behaviourism and psychodynamic forces
• What is at the bottom of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?

  Physiological needs
• What does Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs illustrate about human needs?

  Basic needs must be satisfied before advanced needs
• How does the difficulty of ignoring needs change with their level in Maslow's hierarchy?

  The more basic the need, the harder to ignore
• What are the physiological needs in Maslow's Hierarchy?

  • Sleep
  • Food
  • Water
  • Safety
  • Security of health
  • Security of shelter
  • Security of employment
  • Security of family
• What type of needs follow physiological needs in Maslow's hierarchy?

  Love and belonging needs
• What are the love and belonging needs in Maslow's Hierarchy?

  • Friendships
  • Family relations
  • Romantic relationships
• What needs come after love and belonging in Maslow's hierarchy?

  Esteem needs
• What are the esteem needs in Maslow's Hierarchy?

  • Confidence
  • Achievements
  • Self-esteem
• What is at the top tier of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?

  Self-actualization
• What does self-actualization involve according to Maslow?

  • Creativity
  • Problem solving
  • Morality
• What did Maslow believe individuals experienced during self-actualization?

  Peak experience
• What is self-worth?

  How you perceive yourself as a person
• When does self-worth start developing?

  In childhood
• Through which interactions is self-worth formed?

  Interactions with parents, friends, and spouse
• How does the relationship between ideal self and self-concept affect self-worth?

  • Closer ideal self and self-concept
  • Greater feelings of self-worth
• Negatives of Humanist Approach

  Humanistic research methods do not establish causality:

  • Non-experimental methods used to support the humanistic approach. Very difficult to verify results of counselling
  • Perhaps because people are actively wanting too get better, the desire to be mentally stable leads to improved wellbeing, not counselling

  The humanistic approach is unrealistic:

  • Is an oversimplification to suggest all problems are from blocked self actualisation
  • People may not be “growth oriented”
  • Procrastination/ laziness is not considered