1. Abraham Maslow

2.  Humanistic Psychology: - focuses on an individual’s potential. - a response to the dissatisfaction with behaviorism (the study of observable behaviors) and psychodynamic psychology (Freudian psychology). -emphasizes the importance of growth and self-actualization. -belief that individuals are inherently good, with mental and social problems that cause them to deviate from this inborn tendency.

3.  “Humanist thinkers felt that both psychoanalysis and behaviorism were too pessimistic, either focusing on the most tragic of emotions or failing to take the role of personal choice into account.”  In 1971, Humanistic Psychology becomes an APA Division.

4.  There were two major contributors to Humanistic Psychology › Abraham Maslow › Carl Rogers

5.  Abraham Maslow suggested a hierarchical system for organizing needs regarding motivation.  This system is categorized into 5 levels in a pyramidal illustration where lower levels must be satisfied before attaining higher levels.  Self-actualization: -the highest level of Maslow’s hierarchy. -based self-actualization off of Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Eleanor Roosevelt. -be self-actualized meaningfully fulfills their own potential; being all that you can be. -In humanistic psychology, it is the ultimate purpose of existence.  Ex. Billy loves his job that he considers it like play.

6.  Rogers stated the self establishes the most essential aspect of personality -“Rogers’ Theory of Personality”/ “Rogerian Theory”.  He believed that a growth-promoting climate required three conditions › Acceptance › Empathy › Genuineness  Theory states that life is based on “life force” that Rogers calls the “actualizing tendency”.  Actualizing Tendency- “ the built-in motivation present in every life- form to develop its potentials to the fullest extent possible”.  Rogers states that everybody strives to make the most of their existence.

7.  In Rogers as well states that all living creatures know what is inherently good for them, known as organismic valuing.  Ex: A human is hungry. We search for food, but not any type of food, we search for good tasting food because food that tastes bad might be spoiled or dangerous.

8.  Another thing we value is innately value is “positive regard”.  Positive regard can be understood as love, affection, attention, and etc.  Unconditional Positive Regard- Being entirely accepting of another individual. This is not just a mere show of acceptance but rather an attitude expressed through behavior as well.  Ex. A homophobic person goes and has a cup of coffee with a homosexual rather than just saying “I accept you because you are homosexual.”

9.  Rogers claimed that the personality is similar to a triangle composed up of the real self, the perceived self and the ideal self.  When there is a good fit between all three components, that person is believed to have congruence.  When a person has congruence, they are at a healthy condition which allows them to come closer to being self-actualized.  A gap between the “real self” and the “ideal self” is known as incongruence.

10.  Self Concept- the collection of thoughts and ideas that we have about ourselves which answer the question, “Who am I?”  Self Image- the mental picture of how we view ourselves › Body Image › The type of person you perceive yourself as › The type of person you think others perceive you as

11.  Individualists- give relatively greater priority to personal goals and define their identity mostly in terms of personal attributes. They strive for personal control and individual achievement.  Collectivists- give priority to the goals of their groups and define their identity accordingly- not as “me” but as “we.” Group identifications provide a sense of belonging, a set of values, a network of care, and an assurance of security.

12.  Rollo May- best known as an existential psychologist. He argued that existentialism provided psychology with the much-needed ability to bridge the chasm (in the sciences) between what is abstractly true and what is existentially real for living persons.  May is most famous for his existential analysis of anxiety. He challenged the popular notion that “mental health is living without anxiety.” His argument was that, living in a world in which there is the possibility of mass destruction with the atom bomb, living without anxiety would, in fact, be pathological-and, more generally, he shows that anxiety is an essential part of being a human being, without which we would be overcome with boredom, become insensitive, and live without the necessary tension we require to preserve human existence.

13.  Innocence- the pre-egoic, pre-self-conscious stage of the infant.  Rebellion- the rebellious person wants freedom, but does not yet have a good understanding of the responsibility that goes with it.  Ordinary- the normal adult ego learned responsibility, but finds it too demanding, and so seeks refuge in conformity and traditional values.  Creative- the authentic adult, the existential stage, self-actualizing and transcending simple egocentrism. *A child may certainly be innocent, ordinary or creative at times; an adult may be rebellious. These stages indicate when it is prominent.

14.  Existentialism- is a philosophical movement that views human existence as having a set of underlying themes and characteristics, such as anxiety, dread, freedom, awareness of death, and consciousness of existing. It is also an outlook/perspective on life that pursues the question of the meaning of life or the meaning of existence.  Søren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher who is considered the father of existentialism. He asserted that truth is subjective. Human beings can be understood only from the inside, in terms of their lived and experienced reality and dilemmas, not from the outside, in terms of a biological, psychological, or other scientific theory of human nature.

15.  There has been many criticisms of humanism, especially in its presence in psychology. Some notable arguments are: - Its concepts are too vague and subjective. The description of self- actualizing people is that they are open, spontaneous, loving, self- accepting, and productive. It is merely a description of Maslow’s personal values and ideals. - Individualism encouraged by humanistic psychology-trusting and acting on one’s feelings, being true to oneself can lead to self-indulgence, selfishness, and an erosion of moral restraints. - Humanistic psychology fails to appreciate the human capacity for evil. People instead become apathetic from two rationalizations. One is a naïve optimism that denies the threat.(People are good, things with work out) The other is dark despair. (It’s hopeless)

16. Carl Rogers. (n.d). Retrieved March 12, 2010, from Crystalinks Metaphysical and Science Website http://crystalinks.com/rogers.html http://crystalinks.com/rogers.html Cherry, K. (n.d). Humanistic Psychology. Retrieved March 13, 2010, from About website http://psychology.about.com/od/historyofpsychology/a/hist_ humanistic.htm http://psychology.about.com/od/historyofpsychology/a/hist_ humanistic.htm Existentialism. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Existentialism http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Existentialism

17. Famous psychologists: rollo may. (2009, December 18). Retrieved from http://www.psychologistanywhereanytime.com/famous_psy chologist_and_psychologists/psychologist_famous_rollo_m ay.htm http://www.psychologistanywhereanytime.com/famous_psy chologist_and_psychologists/psychologist_famous_rollo_m ay.htm Myers, D.G. (2007). Psychology 8th edition. New York, New York: Worth Publishers. What is Your Self-Concept and Self-Image?. (n.d). Retrieved from EzineArticles http://ezinearticles.com/?What-is-Your-Self-Concept-and- Self-Image?%id=22994722 http://ezinearticles.com/?What-is-Your-Self-Concept-and- Self-Image?%id=22994722