Humanistic Approach

• Free-Will

  All other approaches are determinist to a degree as they see behaviour as entirely or partly shaped by forces over which we have no control. Humanistic psychology claims that human beings are essentially self-determining and have free-will. People are still affected by external and internal influences, but are also active agents who can determine their own development.
• Humanistic Perspective Assumptions

  Humanistic psychologists, such as Rogers and Maslow, reject more scientific models which attempt to establish general principles of human behaviour. As active agents we are all unique, psychology should concern itself with the study of the subjective experience rather than general laws. This is referred to as a person-centred approach.
• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

  His main interest was what motivated people; describing a hierarchy of needs that then motivate our behaviour. In order to achieve our primary goal of self-actualisation, a number of other deficiency needs must be met first. From the bottom: physiological needs, safety and security, love and belongingness, self-esteem, and self-actualisation. A person is only able to progress up the hierarchy once the current need in the sequence has been met.
• Self-Actualisation

  People have an innate desire to reach their full potential; it represents the upmost level of the hierarchy. All deficiency needs must be met before and individual can reach the growth need. Applies to early development, a baby is first focused on physiological needs, and it applies throughout life. Humanistic psychologists regard personal growth as an essential part of what it is to be human. Concerned with self-development and change to become fulfilled, satisfied and goal-orientated. Though there are potential psychological barriers that prevent self-actualisation.
• The Self and Congruence

  Rogers argued that for personal growth to be achieved an individual's concept of the self (the way they see themselves) must be equivalent to, or have congruence with their ideal self. If the gap between the two selves is too big, the individual will experience a state of incongruence, and self-actualisation will not be possible due to the negative feelings of self-worth which arise from incongruence.
• Conditions of Worth

  To reduce the gap between the self-concept and the idea self, Rogers developed client-centred therapy to help people cope with the problems of everyday living. Rogers claimed that many of these issues experienced as adults (feelings of worthlessness) have roots in childhood; explained through a lack of unconditional positive regard from parents. Setting boundaries on their love for their child then stored up psychological problems for their child in the future. Roger then saw his role as therapist as being able to provide clients with unconditional positive regard.
• Counselling Psychology- Rogers

  Client-centred therapy is an important form of modern-day psychotherapy. Referring to those in therapy as 'clients' not 'patients' as he saw the individual as an expert on their own condition. Therapy isn't directed by a therapist, it is non-directive, the client is encouraged towards the discovery of their own solutions within a therapeutic atmosphere. An effective therapist should be: genuine, empathetic, and give unconditional positive regard with the aim of increasing self-worth and reducing the level of incongruence to allow the client to function fully.
• Counselling Psychology- Impacts

  Rogers' work transformed psychotherapy, and introduced a variety of counselling techniques. In the UK and US, similar counselling skills are practiced in clinical settings, education, health, social work, and industry. It has been praised as a forward looking and effective approach which focuses on present problems rather than dwelling on the past. However, much of the treatment is better suited to 'mild' psychological conditions such as anxiety and low self-worth; much like psychoanalysis.
• AO3: Not Reductionist

  It rejects attempts to break up behaviour and experience into smaller components. Behaviourists use stimulus-response connections, cognitive approach sees humans as information-processing machines, biological approach reduces behaviour to physiological processes, psychodynamic views our personality as the inner conflict of the id, ego, and superego. Humanists advocate holism- subjective experience can only be understood by considering the whole person, it may then have greater validity as it considers meaningful human behaviour within its real-world context.
• AO3: Counterpoint to Holism

  Reductionist approaches may be more scientific. Due to the ideal of science being an experiment where behaviour is reduced to an independent and dependent variable. Humanistic psychology, unlike behaviourism, has few concepts which can be broken down into single variables and measured. Meaning it is then short on empirical evidence to support its claims.
• AO3: Positive Approach

  It is optimistic, meaning it has been praised for bringing the person back into psychology and promoting a positive image of the human condition. Freud saw humans as prisoners of their past, governed by their repressed childhood conflicts. In contrast, humanistic psychologists see all people as good and free to work towards the achievement of their potential, having control of their lives (free will). This then offers a refreshing and optimistic alternative to the other approaches.
• AO3: Cultural Bias

  Many of the ideas central to the humanistic approach, such as individual freedom, autonomy and personal growth, would be more readily associated with countries with individualist tendencies (e.g. USA). Countries with collectivist tendencies emphasise the needs of the group and interdependence. Meaning that in such countries, the ideals of the humanistic approach may not be as important. It is then possible that this approach cannot be applied universally as it is the product of the cultural context within which it was developed.
• AO3: Limited Application

  Critics argue that this approach has had little impact in psychology, or practical application in the real world compared to behaviourists or Biopsychologists. This approach has thus been described, not as a comprehensive theory, but as a loose set of abstract ideas. Although, this could be counterargued as Rogerian therapy revolutionised counselling techniques, and Maslow's hierarchy of needs can explain motivation (particularly within the workplace).