9: Humanist approach

• Assumptions


  Emphasises importance of subjective experience on each persons capacity for self determination

  
  

  Deals with healthy individuals

  
  

  We are active agents who have ability to determine our own development
• 3 key aspects to humanistic approach

  Free will

  Self actualisation

  The self, congrunece and conditions of worth
• Free will


  Active agents determine our own development

  
  

  All unique and psychology should look at subjective experience not general laws applied to all

  
  

  Person centred approach
• Self actualisation


  Inborn tendency to achieve full potential

  
  

  It is a growth need

  
  

  4 lower levels called deficiency needs

  
  

  We all need to be fulfilled, satisfied and goal orientated
• Maslow hierarchy of needs

  self-actualization, esteem, love/belonging, safety, physiological
• The self, congruence and conditions of worth- Roger's

  Concept of self has to have congruence with our ideal self

  
  

  If gap is too large we will experience incongruence

  
  

  Client centred therapy developed to help people with living

  
  

  Low self esteem and worthlessness have roots in childhood

  
  

  Lack of unconditional positive regard- eg "I will only love you if..."
• Rogerian therapy- counselling


  Person centred therapy

  
  

  Non directive- helped to find own solutions to problems

  
  

  Atmosphere should be warm, supportive and non judgemental

  
  

  Therapists provide 3 things:

  Genuineness

  Empathy

  Unconditional positive regard
• Strength- not reductionist


  Avoid breaking behaviour into smaller components so they avoid reductionism

  
  

  Advocate holism

  
  

  Looks at whole person not just their history

  
  

  More validity in real world
• Strength- positive approach


  Promotes positive image of human condition

  
  

  Contrasts with freuds view
• Weakness- limited application


  Revolutionised counselling techniques

  
  

  Little impact on psychology as a whole

  
  

  Lacks a sound evidence base- anti science

  
  

  Described as loose set of abstract concepts
• Weakness- untestable concepts


  Vague and difficult to test

  
  

  ROGERS-Q sort measure of progress BUT anti scientific so lacks empirical evidence
• Weakness- cultural bias


  Individualist- western cultures- value freedom, personal growth and autonomy

  
  

  Collectivist- India- focuses on group needs, community and interdependence

  
  

  Therefore humanist approach many not apply to all cultures
• It has transformed counselling but...

  Only focuses on present problems rather than dwelling on the past

  
  

  Only effective in the treatment of mild psychological problems eg. Anxiety