Humanistic Perspectives Flashcards
Humanism
is a theoretical orientation that emphasizes the unique qualities of humans, especially their freedom and their potential for personal growth
Humanistic theorists take an optimistic view of human nature. They assume that:
(1) People can rise above their primitive animal heritage and control their biological urges
(2) people are largely conscious and rational beings who are not dominated by unconscious, irrational needs and conflicts.
Humanistic theorists also maintain that people’s subjective view of the world is more important then objective reality. According to this notion, if you think they’re homely or bright or sociable, this belief will influence your behaviour more than the realities of how home, bright, or social you actually are.
Humanist embrace the phenomenological approach
phenomenological approach
assumes that one has to appreciate individuals personal, subjective experiences to truly understand their behaviour.
Carl Rogers: Person Centred- Theory
This movement e emphasizes self-realization through sensitivity training, encounter groups, and other exercises intended to foster personal growth.
Carl Rogers: The Self-Concept
a collection of beliefs about one’s own nature, unique qualities, and typical behaviours
Rogers stressed the subjective nature of the self-concept. Your self-concept may not be entirely consistent with your experiences. most people tend to distort their experiences to some extent to promote a relatively favourable self-concept . Rogers called the gap between self-concept and reality INCONGRUENCE
if a person’s self-concept is reasonable accurate, it’s said to be congruent with reality.
Carl Rogers: Incongruence
is the degree of disparity between one’s self-concept and one’s actual experience.
Carl Rogers: Development of Self-concept
Rogers believed that unconditional love from parents fosters congruence and that conditional love fosters incongruences. He further theorized that if individuals grow up believing that affection from others is hight conditional, they will go on to distort more and more of their experiences in order to feel worthy of acceptance from a wider and wider array of people.
Carl Rogers: Anxiety and Defense
the inaccurate your self-concept, the more likely you are to have experiences that class with your self-perceptions
To ward off this anxiety, individuals often behave defensively in an effort to reinterpret their experience so that it appears consistent with their self concept. Thus, they ignore, deny, and twist reality to protect and perpetuate their self-concept.
Maslow’s Theory of Self- Actualization
key contributions were his analysis of how motives are organized hierarchal and his description of the health personality.
Maslow : Hierarchy of Needs
a systematic arrangement of needs, according to priority, in which basic needs must be met before less basic needs are aroused.
Usually portrayed as a pyramid, those at the bottom of the pyramid are the basic needs. higher levels of the pyramid consist of progressively less basic needs.
Maslow argued that humans have an innate drive toward person growth– that is evolution toward a higher state of being. Thus, described the needs in the uppermost reaches of hierarch as growth needs. These include the needs of knowledge, understanding, order, and aesthetic beauty.
Foremost among them is the need for Self-actualization
The need for self-actualization
the ned to fulfill ones potention,; it is the highest need in Maslow’s motivational hierarchy.
according to Maslow, people will be frustrated if they are unable to full utilize their talents or pursue their true interests.
A health personality
self-actualizing persons are people with exceptionally health personalities marked by continued personal growth. Maslow identified various traits characteristics of self-actualizing people:
accurately tuned into reality and that they are at peace with themselves. They are open and spontaneous they retain fresh appreciation of the world around the. They sensitive to others needs and enjoy rewarding interpersonal relations. They not dependent on others for approval or uncomfortable with solitude. They thrive on their work, and they enjoy a sense of humour. They strike a nice balance between many polarities in personality.
Evaluating Humanistic Perspectives
- Humanistic theories are credited with highlights the importance of a persons subjective view of reality. they are also applauded for focusing attention on the issue of what constitutes a health personality
they are criticized for lacking a strong research base, poor testability, and what may be overly optimistic view of human nature (Maslow had a hard time finding live people who had self-actualized)
NOT IMPORTANT HOW OTHERS SEE THE WORLD, IT IS IMPORTANT HOW YOU SEE THE WORLD
