Humanistic Approach

• Humanistic approach


  Emphasises the importance of subjective experiences, feelings and thoughts of a person
• Humanistic approach


  • Rejects scientific models that attempt to establish general principles of human behaviour
  • Often referred to as a person-centred approach
• Person-centred approach


  Focuses on how each person is unique and good
• Free will

  Humans have full conscious control and can make choices that are not determined by biological or external forces
• Humans are affected by external or internal influences, but are active agents who have the ability to determine their own development
• Self-actualisation


  Everyone has an innate tendency to fulfil their potential and become what they are capable of
• Humanistic approach

  • Emphasises the importance of personal growth (developing and changing as a person to become fulfilled, satisfied and goal-oriented)
  • Emphasises the importance of fulfilment
• The Approach

  • Rejects science
  • Focuses on free will rather than determinism
  • Focuses on rational and conscious beings rather than unconscious primitive instincts
  • Focuses on subjective experience and understanding rather than objective reality
  • Views humans as a whole rather than reduced to component parts
  • Focuses on self-actualisation rather than objective definitions and measurements
  • Focuses on uniqueness rather than general and universal laws
• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs


  A way for employers to get the best out of their employees by understanding their needs, but it has been adapted to explain needs in general terms
• Every person

  • Has an innate tendency to achieve their full potential - to be the best they can possibly be
• Self-actualisation


  Represents the uppermost level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. This means that you have fulfilled your desire to grow psychologically and fulfil one's full potential – becoming what you are capable of
• People who have achieved self-actualisation


  • Tend to be creative, accepting of others and have an accurate perception of the world around them
• Working towards self-actualisation

  1. Must first fulfil the needs of the lower levels of the hierarchy

  2. Fulfil your potential
• We are motivated to achieve progression through the levels of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
• Stage 1

  Physiological needs

   Breathing, air, water, food, drink, warmth, sleep, sex
• Stage 2

  Safety and security needs

   Security of body, employment, resources, morality, health, family property; protection, stability, order, rules, law
• Stage 3

  Belonging and love needs

  Family, affection, relationships, work groups, sexual intimacy
• Stage 4

  Esteem needs

  Self-esteem, confidence, achievement, status,

  responsibility,  respect of and by others
• Stage 5

  Cognitive needs

  Able to think for ourselves, solve problems
• Stage 6

  Aesthetic needs

  Appreciation of beauty & ‘prettiness’
• Stage 7

  Self-Actualisation

  Personal growth , fulfilment
• Acheieving Self Actualisation


  •Not everyone will manage to achieve self-actualisation. There are important psychological barriers that may prevent a person from reaching their potential
• Rogers Ideas

  Personal growth - developing and changing as a person to become fulfilled, satisfied and goal-oriented.

  Rogers argued that certain circumstances had to be true for personal growth to be achieved.

  These circumstances include the key terms of the self, congruence and conditions of worth.

  Using these key terms, what circumstances do you think have to be true for personal growth to be achieved? Consequently, what psychological barriers may prevent a person from reaching their potential?