humanistic approach

• humanistic approach is based on the idea that people are free to make their own choices
• basic assumptions

  • every person is unique and we shouldn't generalise groups
  • free will- we have the ability to choose what to do and we are in control of our behaviour
• Maslow's hierarchy of needs

  fundamental to human nature

  • physiological- breathing, food, sex, sleep, excretion
  • safety- security of body, job, morality, heath and family
  • love/belonging- friends, family, sexual intimacy
  • esteem- self esteem, confidence, achievement, respect for and by others
  • self actualisation- morality, creativity, problem solving, lack of prejudice
• focus on the self

  • self concept - the self you feel you are, I someone has low self esteem, self concept may be poor
  • real self- the person you actually are, diffract to demonstrate as everyone perceives others differently
  • ideal self- the person you want to be, who you are aiming to be

  -rogers also said to achieve self actualisation, a person must be congruent meaning their ideal self na actual experience should be the same
• humanistic approach evaluation


  +free will theories as they support how we feel

  +humanistic psychology allows for personal development throughout life unlike psychodynamic approach

  -some concepts are vague as it's hard to measure self actualisation

  -ideas are hard to scientifically test with empirical evidence, very subjective