Week 7; Humanistic Approach Flashcards
(49 cards)
Humanistic Approaches
Approaches to studying personality that emphasise how people seek to fulfill their potential through greater self-understanding
Goal of Humanist Psychologists
For clients to reach self- actualisation
Core Beliefs of Humanistic Theories
- Human beings are inherently good
- All humans have immense potential for growth and creativity
- In order for humans to reach their potential, we should accept the world through their eyes
Abraham Maslow
- Proposed that we are motivated by a hierarchy of needs
- As lower levels are achieved, we can reach higher potential
Hierarchy of Needs
- Biological Needs
- Safety
- Love and Belonging
- Self Esteem
- Self Actualisation
Biological Needs
- Most Basic
- Most be satisfied and constantly recur
- Food, shelter, water, warmth, clothing etc.
Safety Needs
- Physical security, stability, freedom and protection
- Children have greater safety needs as they have more fears i.e. the dark
- Emergencies and crises entail maximum threat to satisfaction of this need
Love and Belonging
- Friends, partner, club, family and nation
- People receiving a little affection have greater love needs than those who receive a healthy amount of none at all
- Many people availing of psychotherapy get ‘stuck’ at this level
Esteem Needs
- Reputation
- Self Esteem
Reputation
Having the esteem of others
Self Esteem
Your belief in yourself, regardless of the opinions or judgements of others
Self Actualisation
- The desire for self- fulfillment, to reach one’s highest potential
- Very Rare
Maslow’s study of self actualisation
- Studies healthy, creative people in opposed to troubled cases
- Based description on his own mentors and historical figures famed for their psychological richness and productive lives i.e. Abraham Lincoln, Einstein and Eleanor Roosevelt
- In Maslow’s view, a mature and healthy society would facilitate lots of people to become self- actualised
Characteristics of Self- Actualised people
- Are aware of what they want and are in contact with themselves
- Very Mature and Self aware
- Often have peak experiences i.e. insights that others do not
- Naturally contribute to others and society at large
- Have B-Values
B-Values
Goodness, truth, autonomy, justice, perfection etc.
Carl Rogers
- Believed that people were inherently good and endowed with self- actualising tendencies
- Believed that certain conditions were required for growth but that most people didn’t get them
Human Potential
Unless thwarted by an environment that inhibits growth, each of us is like an acorn primed for growth and fulfillment
Conditions Necessary for Growth
- Genuineness
- Acceptance
- Unconditional Positive Regard
- Empathy
Genuineness
Open with one’s feelings, dropping their facades, being transparent and self- disclosing
Acceptance
- Offering us affection and respect despite our failings or disagreements with them
Unconditional Positive Regard
- You may disagree with one’s behaviour but not with them as a person
- How parents should treat their children
Empathy
Sharing and mirroring our feelings and reflecting our meanings
Development of Self
- Children do not have a sense of self and thus cannot differentiate between ‘me’ and ‘not me’
- Self concept develops throughout life and with interaction to the environment
- Self Consistency and congruence is needed to maintain a self- concept
Anxiety and Maladjustment
- Experiences that are inconsistent with our self concept evokes anxiety and threat
- Those who deny/ distort their experiences may experience psychological maladjustment
- The more honesty that you can employ to assess who you are and where you stand, the more likely that you are to be psychologically developed