Download - RG 10b Modified PowerPoint from: Aneeq Ahmad -- Henderson State University. Worth Publishers © 2007
RG 10b
Modified PowerPoint from: Aneeq Ahmad -- Henderson State University. Worth Publishers © 2007
Humanistic PerspectiveBy 1960s psychologists had become
discontented with Freud’s negativity and the
mechanistic psychology of the behaviorists.
Abraham Maslow
(1908-1970) Carl Rogers
(1902-1987)
Humanistic Theory●Emphasizes idea that individuals’ control their
own behavior
●Views human nature in a much more positive
light…believes we are all innately good
●Very popular perspective at its time because it
was so person-centered (think of societal ideas
in the 1960s)
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Esteem needs
achievement, status, responsibility, reputation
Self-actualization
personal growth and fulfilment
© design Alan Chapman 2001-7, based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Belongingness and Love needs
family, affection, relationships, work group, etc.
Safety needs
protection, security, order, law, limits, stability, etc.
Biological and Physiological needs
basic life needs - air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep, etc.
Move up hierarchy from bottom, basic needs toward top, self-actualization
Self-Actualizing PersonUltimately Maslow believed that we try to reach
the state of self-actualization or fulfilling our
unique potential.
He believed this desire exists in all people but is often
thwarted by one’s environment.Self-actualizing characteristics
●accept self unconditionally●spontaneous and natural●democratic nature●like privacy●focus on problems outside self●strong ethical and moral sense●close, yet limited number of friends●very realistic
Carl Rogers
Rogers also believed in individual's personal growth
tendencies and idea that people are naturally good.
Central feature of personality = self-concept(our perception of our abilities, behaviors and characteristics if
self-concept positive, we tend to act in positive ways)
Michael Rougier/ Life Magazine © Time Warner,
Inc.
Growth and FulfillmentFor an individual to grow, Rogers said must have:
1.GenuinenessoBe open with feelings and drop facades
2.AcceptanceoGet rid of conditions of worth
oMust have/offer unconditional positive regard
3.Empathy
oSharing and mirroring our feelings and reflecting
meanings
Assessing the Self
All our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in an answer
to the question, “Who am I?” refers to Self-Concept.
In an effort to assess personality, Rogers asked
people to describe themselves as they would like
to be (ideal) and as they actually are (real). If the
two descriptions were close the individual had a
positive self-concept.
Evaluating the Humanistic
Perspective
1.Humanistic psychology had pervasive impact
on counseling, education, child-rearing and
management.
2.Concepts in humanistic psychology are
vague and subjective and lacked scientific
basis.
3.Individualism can lead to self-indulgence,
selfishness and corruptions…so need to be
careful of emphasis.