humanistic approach A01

• -          This approach unlike many other approaches in psychology focuses on conscious experience rather than on behaviour, on personal responsibility and free will rather than on determinism and on discussion of experience and rather than the use of experimental method.
• The humanistic approach was developed by Rodgers and Maslow in the 1950s and humanistic psychology is concerned with topics that are meaningful to human beings and emphasises the importance of individuals striving towards personal growth
• the bias assumptions of the humanistic approach

  free will

  -          Humanistic theories emphasis that people have full conscious control over their own destiny since they have free will.
• the bias assumptions of the humanistic approach

  free will.

  -          But despite having free will we are still subject to many forces including biological and societal influences

  But ultimately humanistic psychologists believe that human beings are able to make significant personal choices within the constraints imposed by these other factors
• Marlow’s theory

  -          Unlike the psychoanalysts Marlow was not interested in what went wrong with people but was more interested in investigating what could go right with them
• Marlow’s theory

  Marlow’s theory

  -          His hierarchy of needs emphasised the importance of personal growth and fulfilment (going right) this then allowed him to open the door for later movements in psychology such as positive psychology and happiness.
• Marlow’s theory

  Hierarchy of needs

  -          Marlow didn’t display the hierarchy of need sin a visual pyramid, but it is usually represented in this way with the most basic psychological needs being represented at the bottom of the pyramid and the most advanced needs at the top.

  -          And each level must be fulfilled before a person can move up to the higher level / higher need.

  -          Marlow also believed that the more basic the need the more powerfully it is experienced and the more difficult it is to ignore.
• marlows theory - Self-actualisation

  -          Self-actualisation is the highest level of needs and he found that those who attained self-actualisation shared a certain characteristic which is that they all tended to be creative, accepting of other people and have an accurate perception of the world around them.
• marlows theory - Self-actualisation

  
  

  -          He believed that individuals who reached self-actualisation did so in the rom of peak experiences which are moments of extreme inspiration and ecstasy during which they felt able to leave behind all doubts, fears and inhabitations.
• Marlow’s theory

  Focus on the self.

  -          The self (self – concept) refers to how we perceive ourselves as a person.
• Marlow’s theory

  Focus on the self.

  -          Rodgers claimed that people have 2 basic needs including positive regard form other people and a feeling of self-worth so regards what we think about ourselves.
• Marlow’s theory

  Focus on the self.

  -          Feelings of self-worth develop in childhood and are formed as a result of the child’s integration with parents and further reactions with significant others like friends or partner also influence a person’s feeing of self-worth.
• Marlow’s theory

  Focus on the self

  -          Rodgers believed that how we feel about ourselves, and our feelings of self-worth are important in determining our psychological health.

  -          The closer our self-concept and ideal self are together the greater our feelings of self-worth and greater our psychological health -= better and more healthy behaviour
• Marlow’s theory

  Congruence

  -          This is when there is a similarity between a person’s ideal self and how the perceive themselves to be in real life meaning A state of congruence exists.

  -          If there is a difference between the self and ideal self the person experiences a state of incongruence

  -          The closer our self-image and our ideal self are the greater the congruence and he higher our feelings of self-worth .

  -          Most people experience some degree of incongruence.
• marlows theory - Conditions of worth

  -          Roddgers believed that often other people hindered the process of self actualisation
• marlows theory - Conditions of worth

  -          The love and affection others give us can either be unconditional or conditional
• maslows theory - Conditions of worth

  -          Unconditional love and affection is in positive regard and refers to when a person is accepted for who they are or what they do

  -          Conditional love and affection is when a person is only accepted if they do what others want

  -          When people experience conditional positive regard they develop conditions of worth

  -          Conditions of worth are the conditions that they perceive significant – they refers to parents or spouse