Humanistic Psychology

• Free Will


  The idea that human beings are free to make their own choices
• Humanistic Psychology


  A clinical viewpoint emphasizing human ability, growth, potential, and free will.
• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

  (level 5) Self Actualisation

  (level 4) Self Esteem

  (level 3) Relationships, Love and Affection

  (level 2) Safety and Security

  (level 1) Physiological Needs

  
• Self-actualisation


  The desire to grow psychologically and fulfil one's full potential - becoming what you are capable of
• Self


  The ideas and values that characterise 'I' and 'me' and includes perception and valuing of 'what I am' and 'what I can do

  
• Congruence


  State of being in which our thoughts about our real and ideal selves are very similar
• Conditions of Worth


  According to Rogers, expectations we place on ourselves for appropriate and inappropriate behaviour.
• Strengths of humanistic psychology

  Not reductionist

  - Rejects attempts to break up behaviour and experience into smaller components (reductionism).

  - Humanistic psychologists advocate holism, the idea that subjective experience can only be understood by considering the whole person.

  - HOWEVER, the ideal of science is the experiment, and experiments reduce behaviour to independent and dependent variables. Therefore, humanistic psychology is short on empirical evidence to support its claims.

  
  

  Positive approach

  - Offers a refreshing and optimist alternative to other approaches.
• Limitations of humanistic psychology

  Cultural Bias

  - Many of the ideas that are central to humanistic psychology would be much more readily associated with countries that have more individualistic tendencies.

  - Countries with collectivist tendencies emphasise more the needs of the group and interdependence.

  
  

  Limited application

  - Little impact in psychology and little practical application in the real world.
• Rogers' client-centred therapy


  Goal is to create an environment in which clients can see themselves honestly with acceptance