What are the assumptions of the humanistic approach?
Every individual is unique - cannot generate groups & subdivide the population
Free will - have the ability to choose what we do and that we are in control of our behaviour (restricted from law & social rules)
Self-actualisation is an innate drive - everyone aims to reach self-actualisation
What are the 5 stages of Maslow’s heirarchy of needs from bottom to top?
Psychological needs - basic needs - food, water, sleep
Safety needs (mental & physical)
Love & Belonging - acceptance from friends & family
Esteem needs - feel good about oneself
Self-actualisation
How does Maslow’s hierarchy of needs work?
To move up in the hierarchy, all of the needs below must be met
What is the self-concept/perceived self?
How you perceive yourself
What is congruence?
When the self-concept & ideal self are aligned
What is unconditional positive regard?
Loving an individual unconditionally
What are conditions of worth?
When others impose conditions on individuals in what to to do and how to behave in order to love and accept them
What did Roger’s work focus on?
The selves of people - said we have 3 which need to be integrated to achieve self-actualisation
What do you need to do to achieve self-actualisation?
Integrates the 3 selves:
The self - you feel you are
The ideal self - you wish to be
The real self - you actually are
How do you achieve personal growth?
When your concept of yourself gets closer to your ideal self
What is incongruence?
A mismatch between self-concept and ideal self, leading to low self-worth
How does the Humanistic Approach affect counselling psychology?
Rogers developed Client-centred therapy
What are the aims of client-centred therapy?
Remove imposed conditons of worth
Helps the patient feel better about themselves to achieve congruence
How did Rogers’s work affect the role of therapists?
They must:
Provide unconditional positive regard for the client - as they may not have received it during childhood
Encourage the individual to talk as openly as they can with the therapist listening carefully - BEING EMPATHETIC - aim to understand the client’s perspective and accept them for who they are - increases their self-esteem to achieve congruence
What are the strengths of the humanistic approach?
Not reductionist
Research support - Harter et al (1996)
What did Harter et al (1996) find?
Teenagers who feel that they have to fulfil conditions in order to get parent’s approval end up not liking themselves
What are the weaknesses of the humanistic approach?
Subjective
Cultural bias
How does the humanistic approach have cultural bias?
Personal growth is an individualistic culture idea
Collective culture emphasise interdependence - wouldn’t accept this approach
Lack of applicability - imposed etic
What happens if some of the needs of Maslow’s hierarchy aren’t met?
Deficiency of needs - experience it as missing something important from our lives
What is client-centred therapy based on?
Rogers’ view that each person is the best expert on themselves - help them find their own solution
What does client-centred therapy suggest mental health issues are caused?
The lack of unconditional positive regard & imposed conditions of worth during childhood development
Incongruence
What is self-actualisation?
The realisation of one’s true potential - ultimate feeling of fulfilment
How is the humanistic approach not reductionist and why is that a good thing?
It takes a holistic view, considering the whole individual rather than reducing behaviour to simple components.
This allows for a more complete and realistic understanding of human behaviour, including subjective experiences and free will.
Therefore, the approach has greater validity as it recognised the complexity of human behaviour in the real world
How is the humanistic approach subjective?
Idea of self-actualisation & congruence are abstract concepts that differ between people
Cannot accurately state what someone’s “true potential is” and whether they are experiencing personal growth
Suggests not a true scientific discipline as it provides theories which cannot be objectively measured and tested
