Humanistic Perspective

1960’s

• Freud was so negative

• Skinner was so mechanical

• There must be some other way to describe us in a positive light…

• If Freud and psychoanalysis asks, “Why are you sick?” – then Humanistic psychology must ask what?

Maslow and the Self-Actualizing Person

• Humans are motivated by what?– Came up with idea by studying the healthy

• Humanistic psychology strives to study those that are self-determined and self-realized

What do TJ, FDR, Eleanor Roosevelt all have in common?

• Share common characteristics– Self-aware, self-accepting, open and

spontaneous, not paralyzed by opinions of others

Maslow’s studies

• MY MISSION IN LIFE IS…– People who are moved by peak experiences

(spiritual or personal) reach self actualization

• Which arousal theory works best here?

• Conclusion?

Rogers and the Person Centered Perspective

• Believed people were born good with self-actualizing tendencies (meaning he agreed with whom?)

• Growth according to 3 key areas

Personal Growth1. Genuineness

• Open about feelings, self disclosing

• Unconditional positive regard for life– Grace– Knowing our

failings, accepting them

– Speak in “I” statements

3. Empathy

• Sharing and mirroring our feelings with our truths

• Aka – LISTENING and not just hearing

Rogers cont’d

• Idea of the self concept

Self-concept

• Positive self-concept: we act and perceive our world positively (can reach and be satisfied with goals)

• Negative self-concept: we fall short of our ideal self

• Examples with grades?

• Conclusion: be true to yourself and you’ll be happy

• When you feel heard, you’re more likely to listen

How do you calculate self-concept?

• Rogers used interviews, questionnaires, and conversations

• Questionnaires are not personal enough

• Concluded that a positive self concept occurs when – Your ideal self and your actual self are closely

related by score

Humanistic Perspective is…

• EVERYWHERE

• Pervasive in society– Examples?

Criticisms of Humanistic Psychology

• Focus too much on the positive

• Go back to TJ, FDR, Eleanor… are there any others that are self-actualized according to Maslow that may come from the other side of the spectrum?

Other criticisms

• Culture: collectivist vs. individual– Self-actualization and self-concept have to

deal with the self– What happens in your life is based on the

whole?

• Humanistic psych is IDEALIST, what about those who identify as REALIST?– Perspective encourages hope without reality

of evil in the world