Chapter 11
The humanistic approach to personality grew out of discontent with the psychoanalytic and behavioral descriptions of human nature prominent in the 1950s and 1960s.
Humanistic psychology has its roots in European existential philosophy and the works of some American psychologists, Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow.
Four criteria used for classifying a theory under humanistic:
an emphasis on personal responsibility
“I have to” behavior represents personal choices, people are active shapers of their lives
an emphasis on the here and now
to live life as it is happening necessary to be fully functioning
the past is a guide, not an anchor
focusing on the phenomenology of the individual
no one knows you better than yourself therapist tries to understand “where you are coming from”, but does not direct
emphasizing personal growth (self actualization)
motivation to continue development in a positive manner, even when basic needs met. Move/progress toward some ultimately satisfying state of being
Humanistic Psychology: emphasizes internal experiences—feelings, thoughts, and own sense of basic worth; people are naturally good, and possess a positive drive toward self-fulfillment
Carl Rogers introduced the notion of a fully functioning person.
Fully Functioning person: a psychologically healthy individual who is able to enjoy life as completely as possible
Open to experience, trust own feelings, not very defensive, aware and sensitive to self and external world, less likely to conform to social expectations, experience feelings deeply, and for most, harmonious relationships with others.
Rogers: “we all progress toward a state of fulfillment and happiness unless derailed by life's obstacles”
Carl Rogers’ self-concept theory
self-concept: all the information and beliefs about own nature, qualities, and behavior; the most important component of personality
poor mental health, maladjustment, and low self-esteem develop from an incongruence between self-concept and experiences in life
Anxiety and defense
Anxiety followed by psychological defenses
People who encounter evidence that contradicts their self- concept often rely on distortion and denial to avoid the anxiety this might create. Info not consistent with way we think of ourself
Fully Functioning—accept information
Others—receive threatening info below consciousness—termed subception. If contradicts self-concept defenses needed to keep from awareness
Distortion
Denial
May reduce anxiety, but keeps one from experiencing life fully
Severe—replace reality with fantasy
State of disorganization—gap between self concept and reality too big, extreme anxiety
People who grow up in families that give only conditional positive regard may come to deny certain aspects of themselves.
Conditional love: when affection and acceptance is contingent upon behaving in certain ways or expressing only certain feelings.
this distorts self-concept and self-esteem because child blocks or denies the existence of negative impulses or feelings
lose touch with feelings and become less fully functioning
Unconditional love or positive regard: acceptance of someone no matter what they say or do; positive behavior without any contingencies attached; acceptance of a person’s positive nature while discouraging specific self-destructive or hostile behaviors
Rogers advocated the use of unconditional positive regard by parents and therapists to overcome this denial
Rogers' contributions to psychology is the person-centered approach to psychotherapy.
Therapist's job is to create the proper atmosphere for clients' growth---accomplished by entering a genuine relationship with clients, providing unconditional positive regard, and helping clients hear what they are saying.
Growth promoting climate requires 3 conditions:
Genuineness—being open with feelings, dropping facades and pretenses.
Acceptance—being positive toward person regardless of person’s behavior
Empathy—sensitive listener, attempt to understand their true feelings.
But how does one listen empathically?
empathy is the act of adopting the client’s perspective, of walking in the client’s shoes.
The counselor’s task is to assume the internal frame of reference of the client,
to perceive the world as the client sees it,
to perceive the client himself as he is seen by himself,
to lay aside all perceptions of the external frame of reference while doing so, and
to communicate something of this empathic understanding to the client.
establishing an empathic, trusting, caring relationship is one of the key components of all effective psychotherapy
Changes in Rogers’ view of therapy:
Shift from emphasis on technique to emphasis on therapist genuineness and use of self in therapy
Individual vs. group counseling
Encounter groups
Friendlier arguments: Using reflection to deal with conflicts
The next time you become deeply engrossed in a conversation or argument obey the following rule
Each person is allowed to speak only after accurately reflecting the thoughts and feelings of the previous speaker to that person’s satisfaction
Abraham Maslow introduced a hierarchy of human needs---where people progress up the hierarchy as lower needs are satisfied.
Basic physiological and survival needs must be satisfied before a person can attempt to satisfy higher needs. According to Maslow, some motives, until satisfied, are more compelling than others.
Hierarchy of Needs: the order in which human needs demand attention.
5 Basic categories of needs—both deficiency and growth
Deficiency Motive: A need that is reduced when the object of the need is attained. Hunger, thirst
Basic needs—bottom of hierarchy
Growth Need: A need that leads to personal growth and that persists after the need object is attained. Unselfish giving of love to others—not satisfied once object of need is found.
Self actualized: A state of personal growth in which people fulfill their true potential. People who are well adjusted seek to “actualize” themselves—live in a way that enhances their own growth and fulfillment.
Characteristics of the individual who is self-actualized
Peak experience: experiences that can best be defined as mystic of profound. A kind of “oceanic” feeling. Feel focused yet open to unlimited experiences.
Misconceptions: exceptions to the order of needs being met—some higher need for self-esteem before love relationship. Creative people—sacrifice lower needs
Lower needs satisfied 100% before moving up to next level. Needs only partially satisfied most of the time.
85% physiological
70% safety
50 % belongingness
40 % self esteem
10 % self actualization
Cultural variations in satisfying needs—differences in how needs satisfied—not basic needs
Behavior result of multiple motivations
Maslow examined psychologically healthy people. He found several characteristics typical of these self-actualized individuals, including the tendency by some to have frequent peak experiences
One recent outgrowth of the humanistic approach to personality is presented by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. He find people describe the happiest and most rewarding moments in their lives in terms of a "flow" experience.
Csikszentmihalyi argues that turning one's life into a series of challenging and absorbing tasks, what he calls optimal experiences, is the key to happiness and personal fulfillment.
Optimal Experience: A state of happiness and satisfaction characterized by absorption in a challenging and personally rewarding task. Lose track of time
Flow: what makes experiences genuinely satisfying is this state of consciousness, flow. Concentration so focused that is amounts to absolute absorption in an activity.
8 characteristics of optimal experiences identified by Csikszentmihalyi.
What everyday activities are more likely to be flow experiences
Maslow's hierarchy of needs concept has been applied to the problem of job satisfaction.
He argued that one's career provides an opportunity for personal growth and that employers should arrange working situations to better meet employees' higher-order needs
Strengths with humanistic approach to personality: the attention given to the positive side of personality and the influence this approach has had on psychotherapy and job satisfaction.
Criticisms include the unscientific reliance on free will to explain behavior and the difficulty in dealing with many of the poorly defined constructs used by humanistic theorists. Some therapists have challenged the usefulness of person-centered therapy.