humanistic approach

• overall assumptions:

  1. every individual is unique
  2. everyone has free will
  3. people should be viewed holistically
  4. subjective experience is more important than objective measures
• humanistic psychologists believe we should not aim to generalise findings, but instead use idiographic methods
• self-actualization is an innate drive to achieve one's full potential
• Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:

  self actualisation

  self esteem

  love/belonging

  safety

  physiological needs
• Rodgers had a focus on the self and self acceptance

  He identified two selves:

  perceived self- the self you feel you are

  ideal self- the self that you wish to be
• congruence is the consistency between the perceived and ideal self. the greater the gap, the greater the incongruence.

  self-actualisation will occur when a person is congruent.
• achieving congruence:

  • develop a more healthy view of yourself
  • receiving unconditional positive regard
• receiving unconditional positive regard: being accepted and valued no matter what

  receiving conditional positive regard: only receiving love and support when you meet certain conditions
• conditions of worth: the conditions under which a person is considered worthy to receive positive regard, these conditions can be real or perceived
• client-centred therapy:

  • they receive unconditional positive regard from a therapist
  • therapists encourage clients to focus on the present rather than the past
  • used to treat mild conditions like anxiety and low self worth
• evaluations:

  🙂 practical application (businesses and therapy)

  ☹️ not scientific

  ☹️ ethnocentric

  🙂/☹️ free will/determinism debate

  🙂 holistic explanation of behaviour