Humanistic Approach Flashcards
Main assumptions
- Believes people have free will and care. Choosing their own actions. Essentially humans are self determining
- emphases external roles an internal (biological) influences
- it describes itself as not scientific as scientific methods are objective humanistic approach proposes human behaviour and thinking is subjective
Rogers
Personal growth dependent on the self being congruent with the “ideal-self” if the gap between ideal self and perceived self gets too big self actualisation is inhibited and a person is non as incongruence
Perceived self
What we see ourself as
Ideal self
Some thing we strive for, to be the best we can be
Incongruent person
- Large gap between ideal an perceived self
- leads a person to have a inaccurate perception of themselves
- ideal self is unrealistic
Congruent person
- Perceived self and ideal self and not to far removed from each other
- achieve full potential and are able to achieve self actualisation
Self actualisation
- Individuals have innate drive to achieve there full potential and therefore ale to reach self actualisation
- person must be congruent
Conditions of worth
- perceived ad ideal self linked to how other see us
- if child grows up with unconditional positive regard from parent etc they have positive self perception
- many don’t experience positive regard as being unconditional they view it as they will only be loved if the meet a certain condition of worth, create incongruity within self between perceived and ideal self
How does roger theory influence behaviour
- rather than behaving in any to achieve self actualisation behave in ways to close gap between perceived and ideal self
- behave in unhelpful ways eg chasing achievement that wont make them content or distort there view on the world
Marlows reaserch
- Optimum state being in regards to personal growth was self actualisation
- variety of needs that need satisfying a different times
- if all needs satisfied in the hierarchy a become may become self actualises
What occurs if needs are not met
- If a particular need not satisfied leads to fixation
- eg person who grew up in poverty might be dominated by anxiety about food even if they escape poverty
State each level of Marlows hierarchy
- self actualisation
Eg fulfilment - self esteem
Eg achievement, statement - belonging needs
Eg family, affection, responsibility - safety needs
Eg protection, security, order - physiological needs
Eg water, food, warmth
Supporting evdience
Hagerty
- looked at relationship between economic growth and Marlows needs level in 88 countries
- found countries in early economic growth ware categorised by lower level needs
- countries in advanced economic development did esteem needs and self actualisation was important
- suggests Maslows hierarchy has relevance beyond individual growth
Weakness
Impacts of humanistic approach on psychology can be said to be minimal. These claims come from the fact that much of Maslow and roger beliefs do not come from research using scientific methods limiting the reliability of their findings however humanistic approach never claims to be scientific
Strengths
- has meets in other places that other approaches do not, humanistic approach takes a holistic view meaning it see human behaviour as too complex to be reduced to simple explanation such as the biological approach making it in there a more comprehensive approach
- implication of unconditional positive regard in treatments, psychologist now take an approach that is empathetic non judgemental and offers unconditional positive regard to improve patient prognosis
Supported by Elliot meta analysis of 86 studies client centred therapies produced a significant improvements in clients compared to no treatment, client centred therapies effective therefore humanistic approach behind them must be correct
