Transcript Humanistic Perspective - Grand Haven Area Public Schools

Humanistic Perspective
Carl Rogers
&
Abraham Maslow
The Humanistic
Perspective
Humanistic Perspective
• A perspective that focuses the individual’s self
awareness and freedom to choose.
• Believe people are free to choose what to do
with their lives are responsible for the choices
they make.
• Interested in how people try to reach selffulfillment.
• Sees people as innately good.
• Studies fulfilled and healthy individuals rather
than troubled people
Humanistic Measures
• Humanistic measures of personality
center on evaluating a person’s self
concept--all of our thought and
feelings about ourselves
• Answer the question “Who Am I?”
The Humanistic
Perspective:
Abraham Maslow and
Self-Actualization
Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)
• Humanistic psychologist who
developed the hierarchy of needs
• Believed that self-actualization
(reaching your full potential) is
the ultimate psychological need
Hierarchy of Needs
• Maslow’s pyramid of human needs,
beginning at the base with physiological
needs, proceeding through safety needs
and then to psychological needs
• Higher-level needs won’t become active
until lower-level needs have been satisfied.
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
Maslow’s
Hierarchy
of Needs
Maslow’s
Hierarchy
of Needs
Maslow’s
Hierarchy
of Needs
Maslow’s
Hierarchy
of Needs
Maslow’s
Hierarchy
of Needs
Another Way to Think about the
Hierarchy of Needs
The Humanistic
Perspective:
Carl Rogers and the
Person-Centered
Approach
Carl Rogers (1902-1987)
• Humanistic psychologist who stressed
the importance of acceptance,
genuineness, and empathy in fostering
human growth
• Believed a person must know their
genuine feelings and act upon them.
Carl Rogers
• Self-concept—The impression you have of
yourself as an individual.
– This is formed by recognizing what you value
and through you relationships with others.
• Congruence – Key to happiness. When
your view of yourself what you experience
from others is consistent or the same.
– See yourself as outgoing and you have good
relationships with others then you are
congruent and happy.
– Incongruence is when these don’t match. It
will cause you to be anxious and upset.
Our Need for Self-Esteem
• Rogers said we all need to believe in our
self and have self respect.
• This self respect depends largely on how
others treat us.
• Two things that influence our self-esteem
– Conditional Positive Regard
– Unconditional Positive Regard
Conditional Positive Regard
• Person is valued and loved only when the
he/she behaves in a way that is acceptable
to others.
• Rogers felt we cannot live up to the wishes
of others and remain true to ourselves.
We’ll only end up disappointed and
incongruent.
Unconditional Positive Regard
• An attitude of total acceptance toward
another person despite their faults and
failings
• This leads to high self esteem and
confidence in oneself.
• However, Rogers did not believe in permissive
parenting. He said parents can disapprove of a
behavior without completely rejecting the child.
Genuineness
• Freely expressing one’s feelings and
not being afraid to disclose details
about oneself
Empathy
• Sharing thoughts and understanding
• Listening and reflecting the other
person’s feelings
Unconditional Positive Regard
will help to create…
• Congruence – A person’s sense of
self is consistent with their
emotions & experiences.
Comparing Rogers to Freud
• 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.
• 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.
The Humanistic
Perspective:
Evaluating the
Perspective
Evaluating Humanistic
Perspective
• Humanistic Approach focuses on the
consciousness and stresses human
freedom.
• Critics argue that because it focuses on
consciousness that it can never be a
science because what a person thinks and
feels cannot be scientifically studied.
• Critics also point out that it does not
explain the development of traits and
personality types.