the humanistic approach

• Assumptions of the humanistic approach

  Every person has their own unique way of perceiving and understanding the world, and the things they do only make sense in this light.

  It aims to understand people's subjectivity.

  People are self-determining, which means they have free will. They can make choices about the way they think and act.

  Humanistic theories are concerned with human experiences, uniqueness, freedom and choice.
• Self-actualisation


  All people have an innate tendency towards growth and the fulfilment of their potential.

  They have the desire to become everything that they are capable of.
• Maslow's hierarchy of needs


  More basic needs have to be fulfilled for high needs to be possible.

  Physiological needs: Biological requirements for human survival (e.g. food, shelter)

  Safety needs: these include personal and financial security, health, and well-being

  Belonging and love needs: Emotional needs for relationships, connectedness and being part of a group.

  Self-esteem needs: Self-worth, accomplishment and respect.

  Self-actualisation: The innate tendency to reach your potential, the desire to become everything your are capable of.
• Roger's positive regard


  People can only self-actualise if they have a positive view of themselves. This can only happen if they have an unconditional positive regard from others.

  Congruence: A state in which a person's ideal self and actual experience are consistent or very similar

  An unconditional positive self-regard is where a person feels valued and respected by those around them.
• + Supporting evidence for Roger's positive regard


  E - Harter et al found that teenagers who were trying to achieve their parents' conditions of worth were more likely to develop depression and were not true to themselves.

  E - This illustrates Roger's view of the need for positive regard from others. A person is more likely to be congruent if they are regarded positively by others (feeling valued, respected and loved).

  L - Therefore, this increases the validity of Roger's positive regard.
• + Practical applications


  E - Sensitivity training is often provided at places of employment. Individuals are taught to value and respect their co-workers for their true selves and provide them with positive regard.

  E - It shows how the humanistic approach can make the world a better and more tolerable place (e.g. by creating a stronger workplace environment that is more inclusive).

  L - However, the sensitivity training may be ignored by some for they may see it as pointless and a waste of time.
• + Free will


  E - According to the humanistic approach an individual has the ability to determine their own development.

  E - This means that this approach to human behaviour doesn't reduce human behaviour down to simple pre-programmed characteristics. Instead it considers the individuals ability to determine their own behaviour.

  L - Therfore, it acknowledges that our behaviour is not determined unlike other approaches.
• + Holistic


  E - Humanists reject any attempt to break up behaviour and experience into smaller components.

  E - This means that the approach captures the complexity of human experience.

  L - Therefore, the Humanistic approach has much more validity that its alternatives by considering meaningful human behaviour within its real-life context.
• - Doesn't use scientific methods


  E - Rogers and Maslow placed little value on lab experiments to study behaviour and instead used qualitative research methods (e.g. open-ended questionnaires, unstructured interviews).

  E - These procedures are subjective and cannot be generalised.

  L - Therefore, it is challenging to test the validity of humanistic theories. However, Qualitative research is useful to study the individual and find out the way that people think or feel, which is the sole purpose of the humanistic approach.
• - Unrealistic


  E - The humanistic approach believes that development and personality are solely caused by the desire for self-actualisation. This is oversimplified for it doesn't explain certain aspects of human behaviour (E.g. pessimism, self-destruction).

  E - This shows how the humanistic approach isn't relevant to society as it encourages people to focus on self-development rather than the situational factors that were the cause of the behaviour.
• - Ethnocentric


  E - The humanistic approach is biased towards western culture. It is ethnocentric for there are cultural differences in the hierarchy of needs. Many qualities considered desirable by the approach (autonomy, personal growth) are more readily associated with an individualistic, rather than collectivist culture.

  E - This suggests a superiority of Western individualistic norms, implying collectivist cultures are not capable of achieving self-actualisation.

  L - Therefore, the humanistic approach is lacking ecological validity and cannot be generalised.
• Person-centered therapy - Rogers


  Emphasises the importance of the present and the future over the past and aims to assist clients in achieving congruence between their perceived and ideal selves.

  The approach is founded on the belief that clients are the best experts on their own lives and experiences.

  The therapist's role is to offer support towards self-discovery and resolution of their issues.