The Humanistic Approach

• How does the humanistic approach explain behaviour?

  Understanding behaviour that emphasises the importance of subject experience and each person's capacity of self determination
• Assumptions

  • emphasises personal worth of the individual, centrality of human values, and creative and active nature of humans
  • free will
  • unique and innate drive to achieve maximum potential
  • study individuals rather than generalise
  • rejects scientific methodology
• Free will


  Not affected by internal or external influences, humans are active agents who determine their own development.
• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs


  physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization

  
• The self


  refers to how we perceive ourselves as a person. Develops in childhood due to interaction with parents
• Congruence


  The level to which our self image and ideal self overlap. The more they overlap, the more fulfilled a person is
• Conditions of worth


  unconditional and conditional types of love and acceptance.
• Strengths

  • Positive approach
  • not reductionist
• weaknesses

  • untestable
  • cultural bias