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Hierarchy of Needs

Bottom to top of pyramid

1. Physiological needs (bottom) : Hunger, thirst, air, and sleep

2. Safety needs : Security, stability, protection, structure, order, and freedom from fear or chaos

3. Belongingness and love needs : love from friends and family

4. Esteem needs : Two basic esteem needs = the need to perceive oneself as competent in achieving and the need for admiration and respect

5. Need for self actualization (top) : Satisfied when we identify our true self and reach our full potential

Basic assumptions of Humanistic Psychology - Free will

Humanistic theories emphasise that people have full conscious control over their own destiny i.e they have free will.

This does not mean we are free to do anything at all, as we are subject to other forces such as biological and societal influences.

Humanisitic psychologists believe that human beings are able to make significant personal choices within the constraints imposed by these other forces.

Basic assumptions of Humanistic Psychology - Maslow's theory (Hierarchy of needs)

Maslow's hierarchy of needs emphasised the importance of personal growth and fulfilment.

It is often presented as a pyramid. The most, basic psychological needs are at the bottom and the most advanced at the top.

Each level must be fulfilled before a person can move up to a higher need.

Maslow believed that the more basic the need, the more powerfully it is experienced and the more difficult it is to ignore.

Basic assumptions of Humanistic Psychology - Maslow's theory (self actualisation)

Maslow found that most of those who attained this level shared certain characteristics.

They tended to be creative, accepting of other people and had an accurate perception of the world around them.

Maslow's believed that such individuals experienced self-actualisation in the form of peak experiences. These are moments of extreme inspiration and ecstasy during which they feel able to leave behind all doubts, fears and inhibitions.

Basic assumptions of Humanistic Psychology - Focus on the self

The 'Self' refers to how we perceive ourselves as a person.

Rogers claimed that people have two basic needs: positive regard from other people and a feeling of self-worth.

Feelings of self-worth develop in childhood and are formed as a result of the child's interactions with parents. Further interactions with significant others also influence the person's feeling of self-worth.

Rogers believed that how we think about ourselves, and our feelings of self-worth, are important in our psychological health.

The closer our self-concept and our ideal self are to each other, the greater our feelings of self-worth and the greater our psychological health.

Basic assumptions of Humanistic Psychology - Congruence

When there is a similarity between a person's ideal self and how they perceive themselves to be in real life, a state of congruence exists.

When there is a difference between the self and ideal self, a state of incongruence exists.

The closer our self-image and ideal self are to each other, the greater the congruence and higher our feelings of self-worth.

It is rare for a complete sense of congruence to exist, and there is often some degree of incongruence.

Because most people prefer to see themselves in a way that is consistent with their self-image, they may use defence mechanisms in order to feel less threatened.

Basic assumptions of Humanistic Psychology - Conditions of worth

Rogers believes that more often than not, people hinder the process of self-actualisation.

The love and acceptance given by others may be unconditional (unconditional positive regard) when a person is accepted for who they are and what they do.

It may also be conditional, when they are accepted only if they do what others want them to do.

When people experience conditional positive regard they develop conditions of worth. These are conditions that they perceive significant others put upon them. and which they believe have to be in place if they are to be accepted by others and see themselves positively.

An individual may experience a sense of self-acceptance only if they meet the expectations that others have set as conditions of acceptance.

The influence of counselling psychology

Rogers claimed that an individual's psychological problems were a direct result of their conditions of worth and the conditional positive regard they receive from other people.

He believed that with counselling, people would be able to solve their own problems in constructive ways, and move towards self-actualisation.

Therapists provide empathy and unconditional positive regard, expressing their acceptance and understanding, regardless of the feelings and attitudes the client expresses.

By doing this, a therapist is able to offer an appropriately supportive environment to help dissolve the client's conditions of worth.

Evaluation of Humanistic Approach- Not reductionist; more validity

Humanists reject any attempt to break up behaviour and experience into smaller components.

Behaviourists explain learning in terms of simple stimulus-response connections; Freud describes personality as conflict between id, ego, superego; biologists reduce behavuiour to basic physiological processes and cognitive approach sees us a information processing machines.

In contrast, humanistic psychologists advocate holism, the idea that subjective experience can only be understood by considering the whole person. This approach may have more validity than its alternatives by considering meaningful human behaviour within its real life context.

Evaluation of Humanistic Approach - Limited application

Unlike other approaches, humanistic psychology has little real-word application.

it is true that Rogerian therapy revolutionised counselling techniques and Maslow's hierarchy of needs has been used to explain motivation, especially in the workplace.

However, it remains the case that the approach has had limited impact within the discipline of psychology as a whole.

This may be due to humanistic psychology lacking a sound evidence-base and also due to the fact the approach has been described, not as a comprehensive theory, but as a loose set of abstract concepts.

Evaluation of Humanistic psychology - Untestable concepts

Humanistic psychology includes a number of vague ideas that are abstract and difficult to test.

Concepts such as 'self-actualisation' and 'congruence' may be useful therapeutic tools but would prove problematic to asses under experimental conditions.

Rogers did attempt to introduce more rigour into this work by developing the Q-sort- an objective measure of progress in therapy.

Nevertheless, as would be expected of an approach that describes itself as anti-scientific, humanistic psychology is short on empirical evidence to support its claims.

Evaluation of humanistic psychology - Positive approach

Humanisitic psychologists have been praised for 'bringing the person back into psychology' and promoting a positive image of the human condition.

Freud saw human beings as 'slaves to their past' and claimed all of us existed somewhere between 'common unhappiness and absolute despair'.

Humanistic psychology offers a refreshing and optimistic alternative; it sees all people as basically good, free to work towards the achievement of their potential and in control of their lives.

Evaluation of humanisitic psychology - Cultural bias

Many of the ideas that are central to humanisitic psychology, such as individual freedom, autonomy and personal growth, would be more more associated with individualist cultures in the Western World.

Collectivist cultures such as India, which emphasise the needs of the group, community and interdependence, may not identify so easily with the ideals and values of humanistic psychology.

Therefore, it is possible that this approach would not travel well and is a product of the cultural context within which it was developed.

What are the characteristics of humanistic approach?

The humanistic approach emphasizes the personal worth of the individual, the centrality of human values, and the creative, active nature of human beings. The approach is optimistic and focuses on the noble human capacity to overcome hardship, pain and despair.

What is humanistic approach in psychology quizlet?

humanistic approach. An approach to psychology emphasizing a person's positive qualities, the capacity for positive growth, and the freedom to choose any destiny.

What is meant by humanistic approach in psychology?

humanistic psychology, a movement in psychology supporting the belief that humans, as individuals, are unique beings and should be recognized and treated as such by psychologists and psychiatrists.