humanistic approach

• What does the humanistic approach assume about free will?

  It assumes that we all have free will and are 'mistresses' and 'masters' of our own development.
• How does the humanistic approach view self-actualisation?


  It sees self-actualisation as the top level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs and a crucial part of being human.
• What ability do we have due to free will according to the humanistic approach?

  We have the ability to progress through Maslow's hierarchy of needs and better ourselves.
• What does the term 'self' refer to in the context of humanistic psychology?

  The 'self' describes all the ideas and values we have about ourselves, including perceptions of our abilities.
• What is the 'ideal self'?


  The 'ideal self' describes our perception of the best version of ourselves.
• What happens when there is a large gap between the self and the ideal self?

  We experience incongruence, leading to negative feelings of low self-worth and low self-esteem.
• What is the outcome of achieving congruence?

  It allows us to progress up the hierarchy of needs, aiming for self-actualisation.
• How is self-actualisation defined in humanistic psychology?

  Self-actualisation refers to the innate desire to become the best version of ourselves through personal and psychological growth.
• What is the aim of Rogerian therapy?


  To reduce the gap between the self and the ideal self, increasing the likelihood of achieving congruence and self-actualisation.
• What are conditions of worth according to Rogers and Maslow?

  Conditions of worth are restrictions imposed by adults on the love they show towards children, affecting self-esteem.
• What does Rogerian therapy emphasize about the therapist's role?

  A good therapist is open, genuine, empathic, and provides unconditional positive regard.
• How are patients viewed in Rogerian therapy?

  Patients are viewed as 'experts' of their conditions and are encouraged to find their own solutions.
• What are potential application questions related to humanism in psychology?

  1. The impact of humanism on counselling psychology.
  2. Comparisons with other reductionist approaches.
  3. Explanation of mental disorders using Maslow's hierarchy of needs, conditions of worth, and lack of unconditional positive regard.
• What is a practical application of Rogers' client-centred therapy?

  It has had a major impact on counselling psychology in the USA and the UK, focusing on developing solutions to current problems.
• What is a strength of the humanistic approach?

  It adopts a holistic approach, focusing on the individual's subjective experiences as a whole.
• What is a limitation of the humanistic approach?

  It suffers from a lack of empirical evidence and untestable, subjective concepts.
• Why is self-actualisation difficult to measure?

  Because it varies greatly among individuals and lacks a universal measuring scale.
• How does the concept of congruence affect personal judgment?

  Opinions on whether one has achieved their 'ideal self' may differ, affecting personal judgment.