Humanistic Humanistic PsychologyPsychology

HumanismHumanism

What is Humanistic Psychology

Basic Assumptions

Key Theorists

Key Terms

Movement in Education

Strengths

Weaknesses

What is Humanistic What is Humanistic PsychologyPsychology

Study of Psychology that focuses on the study of Study of Psychology that focuses on the study of the whole person.the whole person.

Look at behavior not only through eyes of Look at behavior not only through eyes of observer, but through eyes of person.observer, but through eyes of person.

Study the meanings, understandings, and Study the meanings, understandings, and experiences involved in growing, teaching, and experiences involved in growing, teaching, and learninglearning

Study how people are influenced by their self-Study how people are influenced by their self-perceptions and the personal meanings attached perceptions and the personal meanings attached to their experiences.to their experiences.

Focus on peoples responses to internal needs in Focus on peoples responses to internal needs in shaping behavior. shaping behavior.

Humanism

3 Basic Assumptions3 Basic Assumptions

An individuals behavior is primarily An individuals behavior is primarily determined by his/her perception of the determined by his/her perception of the world around himworld around him PerceptionPerception: : Allows us to organize, Allows us to organize,

interpret, and act on outside stimuli based interpret, and act on outside stimuli based on past experienceson past experiences

Individuals are not solely the product of Individuals are not solely the product of their environmenttheir environment

Individuals are internally directed and Individuals are internally directed and motivated to fulfill their human potential motivated to fulfill their human potential

Humanism

Key TheoristsKey Theorists

Abraham MaslowCarl Rogers

Humanism

Abraham MaslowAbraham Maslow

Co-Founder of Co-Founder of Humanistic Psychology Humanistic Psychology with Carl Rogerswith Carl Rogers

Believed we are all Believed we are all biologically driven to biologically driven to achieve self-actualizationachieve self-actualization

Came up with Hierarchy Came up with Hierarchy of Needs theory that is of Needs theory that is most important most important humanistic theory.humanistic theory.

Theorists

Carl RogersCarl Rogers

Co-Founder of Co-Founder of Humanistic Humanistic Psychology with Psychology with Abraham MaslowAbraham Maslow

Main contribution Main contribution was in clinical was in clinical therapy and therapy and applications of applications of HumanismHumanism

Started Person-Started Person-Centered PsychologyCentered Psychology

Theorists

Key TermsKey Terms

M aslow ’s Hierarchy of Needs Self-Awareness Ideal Self Self-Actualization Self-Fulfillment

Person-Centered Therapy Holistic Congruence Empathy Unconditional Positive

Regard Conditional Positive Re

gard Incongruence Conditions for Growth

Humanism

Humanistic Movement in Humanistic Movement in EducationEducation

Idea that students have a need to become Idea that students have a need to become self-actualized adults. self-actualized adults. Need classroom freedom to be creative and gain Need classroom freedom to be creative and gain

a desire to learn.a desire to learn. Basic Objectives of Humanistic Education Basic Objectives of Humanistic Education

are to encourage students to:are to encourage students to: Be self-directed and independentBe self-directed and independent Take responsibility for their learningTake responsibility for their learning Be creative and interested in the ArtsBe creative and interested in the Arts Be Curious about the world around themBe Curious about the world around them Ask Questions of things? Why, Who says, Ask Questions of things? Why, Who says,

Purpose?Purpose?Humanism

StrengthsStrengths

Emphasizes individual choice and Emphasizes individual choice and responsibilityresponsibility

Satisfies most peopleSatisfies most people’’s idea of what s idea of what being human is b/c it values personal being human is b/c it values personal ideas and self-fulfillmentideas and self-fulfillment

Provides researchers w/flexible Provides researchers w/flexible framework for observing behavior framework for observing behavior b/c it considers the personb/c it considers the person

Humanism

WeaknessesWeaknesses

Many concepts are too vagueMany concepts are too vague Experiences can be taken different Experiences can be taken different

ways by different individualsways by different individuals Makes conclusions formed from Makes conclusions formed from

experiences hard to verifyexperiences hard to verify Makes research unreliableMakes research unreliable

Not a true science b/c it involves too Not a true science b/c it involves too much common sense and not enough much common sense and not enough objectivityobjectivity

Humanism

MaslowMaslow’’s Hierarchy of s Hierarchy of NeedsNeeds

Hierarchy of NeedsHierarchy of Needs Physiological Physiological

Basic Human needs of survival; breathing, food, water, Basic Human needs of survival; breathing, food, water, sex, sleepsex, sleep

SafetySafety Security in lives important things: health, property, Security in lives important things: health, property,

family, job, etc.family, job, etc. Love/BelongingLove/Belonging

Strong relationships: friendship, family, sexual intimacyStrong relationships: friendship, family, sexual intimacy EsteemEsteem

Feeling a sense of worth/respect: Self-esteem, confidence, Feeling a sense of worth/respect: Self-esteem, confidence, respect for/by othersrespect for/by others

Self-ActualizationSelf-Actualization Highest point of potential: Person is moral, creative, non-Highest point of potential: Person is moral, creative, non-

prejudice, accepting of truths (facts)prejudice, accepting of truths (facts)

PCTPCT DefinitionDefinition

Person-Centered-Therapy that Person-Centered-Therapy that uses congruence, empathy, uses congruence, empathy, and unconditional positive and unconditional positive regard to develop a good regard to develop a good relationship with a client.relationship with a client.

Differences in ApproachDifferences in Approach DidnDidn’’t follow previous t follow previous

perspectives ideas on patientsperspectives ideas on patients Basic motivating idea behind Basic motivating idea behind

approach was that patients approach was that patients were active and responsible were active and responsible beings who participated in beings who participated in creating or at least in creating or at least in maintaining their mental maintaining their mental illness states. illness states.

Differences in ApproachDifferences in Approach

Previous thought was the Previous thought was the psychologists regarded patients psychologists regarded patients as passive, and the as passive, and the psychologists were the psychologists were the intervention or cure.intervention or cure.

Humanistic psychHumanistic psych’’s, wanted s, wanted set up the conditions that set up the conditions that would enable patients to would enable patients to choose to help themselves, choose to help themselves, rather than to require a doctor rather than to require a doctor to administer interventions to administer interventions

Main approach of therapy is to Main approach of therapy is to move person from move person from incongruence to congruence.incongruence to congruence.

Key Terms

HolisticHolistic

Of or relating to dealing Of or relating to dealing with whole systems, not with whole systems, not just smaller parts.just smaller parts.

Key Terms

CongruenceCongruence

When there is a good fit between perceived self, ideal self, and real self

The person has congruence and is able to move towards self-actualization.

One of three main cogs of RogerOne of three main cogs of Roger’’s s PCT PCT ““machinemachine””

Key Terms

EmpathyEmpathy

Capacity to recognize or understand Capacity to recognize or understand anotheranother’’s state of mind or emotions state of mind or emotion

One of three main cogs in Rogers One of three main cogs in Rogers PCT PCT ““machinemachine””

Key Terms

Unconditional Positive Unconditional Positive RegardRegard

When one person (therapist) is When one person (therapist) is completely accepting toward completely accepting toward another person.another person.

Not just a showing of acceptance, Not just a showing of acceptance, but an attitude that is then but an attitude that is then demonstrated through behavior.demonstrated through behavior.

One of three main cogs of RogerOne of three main cogs of Roger’’s s PCT PCT ““machinemachine””

Key Terms

Self ActualizationSelf Actualization

The need to become what one The need to become what one believes he/she is capable of being, believes he/she is capable of being,

realizing onerealizing one’’s own potentials own potential Highest/last step on MaslowHighest/last step on Maslow’’s s

Hierarchy of needs.Hierarchy of needs.

Key Terms

Self AwarenessSelf Awareness

Concept that one exists as an Concept that one exists as an individual, separate from other individual, separate from other people, with private thoughts. people, with private thoughts.

May also include the understanding May also include the understanding that other people are similarly aware that other people are similarly aware of individuality of individuality

Key Terms

Self-FulfillmentSelf-Fulfillment

Achievement of one's aspirations, Achievement of one's aspirations, hopes, etc. through one's own hopes, etc. through one's own

effortsefforts

Key Terms

Ideal SelfIdeal Self

Personality we would like to Personality we would like to be. Consists of our goals, be. Consists of our goals, and ambitions.and ambitions.

Key Terms

IncongruenceIncongruence

• Having a self-concept (ideal self/perceived self) and behavior that do not match one another.

• Makes it hard to reach self-actualization

Key Terms

Conditional Positive Conditional Positive RegardRegard

Positive regard rewarded based Positive regard rewarded based on things that society may like, on things that society may like, not for things that make person not for things that make person better. better.

Leads to people only liking Leads to people only liking themselves if they meet the themselves if they meet the standards of othersstandards of others

Key Terms

Conditions for GrowthConditions for Growth

• Use of congruence, empathy, and unconditional positive regard by counselor/therapist to help in therapy and give room for GROWTH towards self-actualization

Key Terms