A03 - humanistic

• STRENGTH

  P: Avoids being overly reductionist


  • E: Emphasises importance of a holisitic approach - subjective experience can only be understood by considering whole person
  • C: REDUCES complexity of human behaviour, NO oversimplyfying
• STRENGTH

  P: REAL WORLD application


  • E: Model led to development of COUNSELLING - effective therapy for NEUROSES e.g. depression
  • C: NOT simply abstract and theoretical - real world application
• WEAKNESS

  P: LIMITED application


  • E: Counselling is an INSIGHT therapy so isn't appropriate for treating some PSYCHOSES e.g. schizophrenia
  • C: UNDERMINES the approach, limited real world application
• WEAKNESS

  P: UNTESTABLE


  • E: Congruence and self actualisation useful in therapeutic context but DIFFICULT to test under experimental conditions
  • C: Anti-scientific - LACK of research support bases on rigorous scientific methods -> UNDERMINING validity of approach
• WEAKNESS

  P: UNREALISTIC


  • E: Human nature is naive and idealistic - fails to recognise people's capacity for pessimisim + self-destructive behaviour
  • C: People are inherently good and have an innate drive is UNREALISTIC - UNDERMINES validity of model