The Humanistic Approach

Question 1

What is the humanistic approach?

Answer 1

an approach to understanding behaviour that emphasises the importance of subjective experience

Question 2

How does humanistic psychology claim that humans are self-determining?

Answer 2

• it explains that humans have free will which means they make their own choices which aren’t determined by biological or external forces
• this doesn’t mean people aren’t affected by external or internal influences but they have active agents who have the ability to determine their own development
• this is why Rogers & Maslow reject scientific models that establish general principles of human behaviour

Question 3

What is self-actualisation?

Answer 3

• the desire to grow psychologically and fulfil one’s full potential
• it is the highest level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs where the other 4 levels below must be achieved 1st before the individual works towards self-actualisation
• humanistic psychologists regard personal growth as essential which is concerned with developing & changing as a person to become fulfilled

Question 4

What is the order of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (top to bottom) ?

Answer 4

• self-actualisation
• self-esteem
• love & belongingness
• safety & security
• physiological needs

Question 5

What did Rogers argue is necessary for personal growth?

Answer 5

• an individual’s concept of self (the way they see themselves) must be broadly equivalent to their ideal self (who they want to be)
• if a gap between these are too big the 2 ‘selves’ self-actualisation will not be possible due to the negative feelings of self-worth that arise from incongruence
• congruence is the match between the 2 ‘selves’
• to reduce the gap Rogers developed client-centred therapy to help people cope with everyday problems
• Rogers claimed that many issues we experience as adults root in childhood & can be explained
• e.g. a parent who sets boundaries on their love for their child is storing psychological problems for the child in the future
• Rogers therapies worked towards providing his clients with unconditional positive regard they had failed to receive as children

Question 6

Evaluation: Not reductionist

Answer 6

• humanists reject attempts to break up behaviour & experience into smaller components e.g. 3 structures of personality
• humanistic psychologists advocate holism which is the idea that subjective experience can only be understood by considering the whole person
• this approach may have more validity than others by considering meaningful human behaviour within its real-life context

Question 7

Evaluation: Limited application

Answer 7

• although Rogerian therapy has revolutionised counselling techniques & Maslow’s hierarchy of needs explains motivation the humanistic approach has little real-world application
• this may be because the humanistic psychology lacks sound evidence-base & has been described as a loose set of abstract concepts

Question 8

Evaluation: Positive approach

Answer 8

• humanistic psychologists have been praised for promoting a positive image of the human condition
• Freud saw humans as slaves to their past lives & claimed all humas existed somewhere between ‘common unhappiness & absolute despair’
• humanistic psychology offers an optimistic alternative as it sees all people as free to work towards the achievement of their potential and in control of their lives

Question 9

Evaluation: Cultural bias

Answer 9

• many ideas central to humanistic psychology e.g. personal growth would be more associated with individualist cultures in the Western countries
• collectivist cultures e.g. India emphasis the needs of a community & may not identify easily with the ideals of humanistic psychology
• this means its possible that this approach is a product of cultural bias