Discuss the humanistic approach in psychology

• Humanistic approach


  The third force in Psychology, alongside behaviourism and the psychodynamic approach
• Humanists


  • Believe that people are essentially self-determining and therefore have freewill
  • Believe that, because everyone is unique, Psychology should be concerned with subjective experiences, not general laws
• Maslow's hierarchy of needs


  • A hierarchy of needs that must be worked through before we can be a fully functioning person and are able to self-actualise (achieve our full potential)
  • Lowest level is concerned with basic needs (physiological and safety)
  • After that an individual works on their psychological needs and finally their self-fulfilment needs
• Conditions of worth


  When a parent places limits or boundaries of their love of their children e.g. 'I will only love you if…'
• Incongruence


  When the ideal self, real self, and self-concept are not the same/similar
• Person-centred therapy


  Therapy where the therapist demonstrates the unconditional positive regard and empathy that the individual was lacking in childhood to reduce incongruence and help the person to become a fully functioning person who has the potential to self-actualise