what is existential philosophy?
Addresses the meaning of human existence, role of free will, and uniqueness of each human being
what does existential psychotherapy focus on?
existential anxiety
who promoted humanistic psychology?
Carl Rogers and Maslow
what is existential anxiety (crisis)?
Period of upheaval and difficulty that also involves questioning the meaning of life and one’s purpose for living.
what are the 5 types of existential anxiety?
- An increased sense of struggle (such as difficulty making decisions)
- Painful emotions like despair or regret
- Withdrawal from activities or people
- Questioning long-held beliefs, including but not limited to religious faith
- Panic attacks
what are the 4 key elements of the humanistic approach?
- Personal responsibility: people are responsible for what happens to them
- The Here and Now: people can’t become fully functioning individuals when they live their lives as it happens
- The Experience of the individual: therapists provide therapeutic atmosphere that allows clients to help themselves
- Personal growth: people are motivated to progress toward some ultimately satisfying state of being
what did Carl Rogers believe?
Believed in every individual’s potential to for a fulfilling and happy life
what is a fully functioning person according to Rogers?
People who strive and reach an optimal sense of satisfaction in their lives
what is anxiety according to Rogers?
Anxiety is the result of acquiring knowledge that does not coincide with the impression one has about oneself
according to Rogers, when faced with extreme threatening information, one relies on _____ (similar to Freud)
defenses
what are Rogers’ defences?
Distortions/Rationalization: The creation of plausible yet false explanations that justify why events occurred in the manner they did.
Denial of threats: attempt to distance oneself from a threat
Denial: refusal to admit to oneself that a situation exists or an experience took place, serves this function.
what is the consequence of overuse of Rogers’ anxiety?
Neurosis:
- Rigidity in perceptions, overgeneralizations and black-and-white thinking.
- Not really dealing with the threats themselves.
what is Rogers’ conditional positive regard?
Atmosphere when admiration is gained when accepted behavior is portrayed
Conditional positive regard = incongruent person –> Resolved through unconditional positive regard
what are Maslow’s motives?
Deficiency motives and growth needs
what are deficiency motives? (2)
Physiological, security, social, and esteem needs are deficiency needs, whicharise due to deprivation.
Satisfying these lower-level needs is important to avoid unpleasant feelings or consequences
what are growth needs?
do notstem from a lack of something, but rather from a desire to grow as a person.
related to self-actualization
what is self-actualization?
Satisfied when we identify our true self and reach our full potential. “A musician must make music,” Maslow wrote. “An artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What a man can be, he must be. He must be true to his own nature”
what is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?
Categories of needs identified and arranged by Maslow
- Physiological needs - Hunger, thirst, air, and sleep (Must be satisfied before moving to higher level needs)
- Safety needs - Security, stability, protection, structure, order, and freedom from chaos (Prominent when the future is unpredictable)
- belongingness and love needs: d-love and b-love
- esteem needs: need to perceive oneself as competent and achieving
- need for self-actualization: satisfied when people identify their true self and reach full potential
what is the difference between D-love and B-love?
D-love - Need to satisfy the emptiness people experience without it
B-love - Experienced and grows as a result of being in the relationship
what are 3 misconceptions about Maslow’s need hierarchy?
- Assumption that lower needs must be satisfied before turning to higher needs
- Description that need hierarchy is universal (means of satisfying a particular need varies across cultures)
- Oversimplification that any behavior is motivated by a single need (behavior is the result of multiple motivations)
Maslow believed that knowing self-actualized people can provide lessons others can follow for ______
fulfilling their true potential
what are the types of psychologically healthy individuals?
Nonpeakers - Have a clear direction in life (“the social world improvers, the politicians, the workers of society, the reformers, the crusaders.” )
Peakers - Less conventional and more concerned with abstract notions (“more likely to write the poetry, the music, the philosophies, and the religions” )
what is flow?
Moments in which a person’s attention is entirely focused on a activity
what are the components of flow?
Activity is challenging and skilful
One’s attention is completely absorbed by the activity
Activity has clear goals
Presence of clear feedback
Concentration can only be on the current task
Achievement of personal control
Loss of self-consciousness
Loss of sense of time
