Transcript Document

HUMANISTIC
PERSONALITY
THEORIES
AP Psychology
HUMANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
 A perspective that focuses on the study of
conscious experience and the individual’s self
awareness and freedom to choose.
 Interested in the capacity for personal growth &
self-fulfillment with an emphasis on human
potential.
 Sees people as innately good.
 Studies fulfilled and healthy individuals rather
than troubled people
 Felt other theories were too deterministic and
denied the importance of free will
ABRAHAM MASLOW
SELF-ACTUALIZATION
ABRAHAM MASLOW (1908-1970)
Humanistic psychologist
who developed the
hierarchy of needs
Believed that selfactualization is the
ultimate psychological
need of reaching one’s
potential.
MASLOW’S
HIERARCHY
OF NEEDS
ABRAHAM MASLOW: SELF ACTUALIZATION
• According to Maslow, the need to live up to
one’s fullest and unique potential
• Characteristics include:
– Self aware and self accepting
– Open, spontaneous, loving, and caring
– Not paralyzed by other’s opinions
– Focused on a particular task
ANOTHER WAY TO THINK ABOUT THE
HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
DEVELOPMENT OF
PERSONALITY
Carl
Rogers
CARL ROGERS-DEVELOPMENT OF
PERSONALIT Y
Actualizing
tendency—the most
basic human motive
that is the innate
drive to maintain
and enhance the
ourselves
ACTUALIZING TENDENCY
An example of the actualizing tendency is the
“little voice” within us to try harder and never
give up.
ACTUALIZING TENDENCY
Some people believe
that competitiveness
cannot be taught; but
rather is something
that resides inside a
person.
In other words, it is
something you are
born with, or is innate.
CARL ROGERS
Self-concept—how
you think about
yourself
Affected by….
Positive regard—
conditional and
unconditional – the
sense of be loved
and valued by other
people.
CONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD
Person is valued
and loved only
when the he/she
behaves in a way
that is acceptable
to others .
I will love you IF
you get good
grades.
CONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD WILL
HELP TO CREATE…
Can lead to
incongruence
– a state in
which a child’s
self-concept
conflicts with
their own
experience.
UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD
An attitude of total
acceptance toward
another person despite
their faults and failings
This is needed for one to
grow up healthy and be
congruent.
Based on genuineness &
empathy
UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD WILL
HELP TO CREATE…
Congruence –
A person’s
sense of self is
consistent with
their emotions
& experiences.
Your real self is
similar to your
ideal self
COMPARING ROGERS TO FREUD
Carl Rogers
 Viewed people as
positive, forwardmoving, constructive,
realistic and
trustworthy.
 People are innately good
 Humans will choose to
act in ways that serve to
improve society and
perpetuate the human
race.
Sigmund Freud
Pessimistically
viewed humans as
hostile, antisocial,
destructive & evil
 We need society
restraints/laws to
keep humans in line
and prevent the
destruction of the
human race.
EVALUATING THE
HUMANISTIC
PERSPECTIVE
EVALUATING HUMANISM
Humanism has influenced
therapy, child-rearing, and the
workplace
Laid the foundation for positive
psychology – studying what is
right about people
CRITICISMS OF HUMANISM
Difficult to test or validate scientifically
Tends to be too optimistic
Has a hard time explaining some of the
more destructive aspects of human
nature
wars & human cruelty