Humanist Approach Chapter 11
Rebelling Against Negativity Psychoanalysts – struggle to control primal urges Behaviorists – mechanical beings; actions shaped by rewards and punishments Humanists – stress our relative freedom from instinctual pressures and our ability to create and live by personal standards
Key Concepts All human beings strive for SELF- ACTUALIZATION Realization of our potential to be unique Emphasizes the WHOLE person Accepts people as INDIVIDUAL HUMANS with all kinds of good qualities
Carl Rogers Studied to be a minister Had trouble with the idea that people are sinful Believed that we are all basically good
Rogers Cont. Biggest struggle is living up to our ideal self As close to perfection as one can get Come into the world ready to become this person Positive Regard: approval received from important people Conditions of Worth: verdicts you accept for yourself in order to receive positive regard
Rogers Cont. Unconditional Positive Regard Being valued for what you are The way you naturally present yourself Fully functioning individuals Ultimate goal in life United what we should be with what we are
Abraham Maslow Humans have deep need for beauty, goodness, justice, and feeling of completeness Everyone inherited something unique If environment cooperates, we can be great
Self-Actualization Being great = bringing to life our personal skills Fulfilled person is self-actualized Can be accomplished despite personal problems Abraham Lincoln – suffered endless bouts of depression Still self-actualized Albert Einstein and Eleanor Roosevelt too
Self-Actualization cont. Perceive reality accurately No prejudice or wishful thinking Accept themselves Do not deny shortcomings Avoid changing things we don’t like about ourselves
Assessment of Humanism Very upbeat; makes us feel good Positively encourages us to take charge of our fate Emphasizes what goes right Theory is too simple and vague to fully account for great variety seen in human personality