the humanistic approach

• Humans


  • Self-determining and have free will
  • Affected by external and internal influences but also active agents
• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs


  • Describes a hierarchy that motivate our behaviour
  • A person can only move up the hierarchy once the current need in the sequence has been met
• Self-actualisation


  • The full development of one's abilities
  • All 4 lower levels must be achieved first
• Regards personal growth


  As an essential part of what it means to be human
• Concept of self must be congruent to their ideal self


  If the gap is too big, the person will experience a state of incongruence and self-actualisation will not be possible
• Roger's client centred therapy


  • Refers to those in therapy as 'clients' rather than 'patients'
  • Sees the individual as the expert of their own condition
  • Therapy is not directed by the therapist (non-directive)
  • Client is encouraged towards the discovery of their own solutions
  • Therapeutic atmosphere that is warm, supportive, and non – judgemental
• Effective Rogerian therapist


  • Provides the client with genuineness, empathy, and unconditional positive regard
• Aim of Rogerian therapy

  • To increase a person's feelings of self-worth
  • Reduce the level of incongruence between the self-concept and the ideal self
  • Help the person become a fuller functioning person
• The humanistic approach is not reductionist as it rejects attempts to break up behaviour into smaller components
• The humanistic approach advocates holism which means that this approach may have more validity than its alternatives by considering meaningful human behaviour within its real – world context
• The humanistic approach is optimistic and have been praised for bringing the person back into psychology and promoting a positive image of human condition
• Humanistic psychologists see all people as basically good, free to work towards the achievement of their potential and in control of their lives
• The humanistic approach may be culturally biased as many of the ideas such as individual freedom, autonomy and personal growth would be readily associated with countries that have more individualistic tendencies
• Collectivist cultures emphasise the needs of the group and interdependence so humanistic psychology is not as important
• The humanistic approach does not apply universally and is a product of the cultural context