HUMANISTIC THEORY HUMANISTIC THEORIES Emphasise the uniqueness of

HUMANISTIC THEORY

HUMANISTIC THEORIES • Emphasise the uniqueness of each individual and the positive qualities and potential of all human beings to fulfil their lives • Assumptions that all: • People are born good • Individuals strive to reach their full potential • Healthy personality – reached full potential • Personality – total of all experiences they have ever had

HUMANISTIC THEORIES OF PERSONALITY ABRAHAM MASLOW

ABRAHAM MASLOW (1908 -70) • hierarchy of needs • gratification needs to be reached before a person moves up to the next level. • self -actualisation: • the very top of the chart: divine growth, self expression, creativity and to achieve one’s potential • these people are rare • characteristics: self - acceptance, high levels of self awareness, independence, creativity and they enjoy life. • people make conscious choices to maximise their full potential.

HIERARCHY OF NEEDS • Basic physiological needs must be met before we can move up the hierarchy • Vary few people reach self-actualisation • A child must be raised in a supportive, caring and accepting environment or they may develop into an adult who is anxious about having basic physiological needs met.

HUMANISTIC THEORIES OF PERSONALITY CARL ROGERS

Humanistic theory – Rogers. • basic human motive is actualising tendency: ‘innate drive to maintain and enhance self’. • people are naturally good: ‘positive, forward - moving, constructive, realistic and trustworthy’. • full functioning person lives in harmony with their deepest feelings and impulses • realized that people could be cruel and destructive - blamed cultural factors. • fully functioning person: unconditional positive regard (valued, loved and accepted).

Humanistic theories – Rogers. • Central to Rogers theory -> concept of self/personal identity • If we are to have a well-adjusted personality, there needs to be a good match b/w our • Ideal self = person we would like to be • Self image = the person we think we are • True self = the person we really are

Humanistic theory – Rogers. • The greater the gap between our ideal self, self image and behaviour, the more likely we are to feel anxious and stressed • Recent research = students whose ideal & self-images weren’t matched were anxious & depressed compared w/students whose ideal & self-images were better matched

MEASUREMENT • Humanistic theorists believe that you can’t ‘score’ or ‘rate’ or measure personality accurately • Have developed a test – Q-sort test • Mainly used in therapy • Try it yourself • http: //www. ryerson. ca/~glassman/Qsort. html

HUMANISTIC – STRENGTHS • Positive dimensions of personality • Give a complete picture of how a healthy personality develops • Provides explanations for development of unhealthy personalities • all people want the same needs and wants.

HUMANISTIC – LIMITATIONS • Simplistic, idealistic and vague ideas • Encourages individual to focus on their own self-fulfilment or ideals that may not be realistic • Unrealistic – doesn’t recognise individuals capacity for evil and pessimism • Subjective (personalised) and nonscientific basis – few scientific studies conducted.