1. Humanistic Personality Theories
AP Psychology
Humanistic Personality Theories

2. Humanistic Perspective
A perspective that focuses on the study of conscious experience and the individual’s self awareness and freedom to choose.
Interested in the capacity for personal growth & self-fulfillment with an emphasis on human potential.
Sees people as innately good.
Studies fulfilled and healthy individuals rather than troubled people
Felt other theories were too deterministic and denied the importance of free will

3. Abraham Maslow Self-Actualization

4. Abraham Maslow ( )
Humanistic psychologist who developed the hierarchy of needs
Believed that self-actualization is the ultimate psychological need of reaching one’s potential.

5. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

6. Abraham Maslow: Self-Actualization
According to Maslow, the need to live up to one’s fullest and unique potential
Characteristics include:
Self aware and self accepting
Open, spontaneous, loving, and caring
Not paralyzed by other’s opinions
Focused on a particular task

7. Another Way to Think about the Hierarchy of Needs

8. Development of Personality
Carl Rogers

9. Carl Rogers-Development of Personality
Actualizing tendency—the most basic human motive that is the innate drive to maintain and enhance the ourselves

10. Actualizing tendency
An example of the actualizing tendency is the “little voice” within us to try harder and never give up.

11. Actualizing tendency
Some people believe that competitiveness cannot be taught; but rather is something that resides inside a person.
In other words, it is something you are born with, or is innate.

12. Self-concept—how you think about yourself
Carl Rogers
Self-concept—how you think about yourself
Affected by….
Positive regard—conditional and unconditional – the sense of be loved and valued by other people.

13. Conditional Positive Regard
Person is valued and loved only when the he/she behaves in a way that is acceptable to others.
I will love you IF you get good grades.

14. conditional Positive Regard will help to create…
Can lead to incongruence – a state in which a child’s self-concept conflicts with their own experience.

15. Unconditional Positive Regard
An attitude of total acceptance toward another person despite their faults and failings
This is needed for one to grow up healthy and be congruent.
Based on genuineness & empathy

16. Unconditional Positive Regard will help to create…
Congruence – A person’s sense of self is consistent with their emotions & experiences.
Your real self is similar to your ideal self

17. Comparing Rogers to Freud
Carl Rogers
Sigmund Freud
Viewed people as positive, forward-moving, constructive, realistic and trustworthy.
People are innately good
Humans will choose to act in ways that serve to improve society and perpetuate the human race.
Pessimistically viewed humans as hostile, antisocial, destructive & evil
We need society restraints/laws to keep humans in line and prevent the destruction of the human race.

18. Evaluating the Humanistic Perspective

19. Humanism has influenced therapy, child-rearing, and the workplace
Evaluating Humanism
Humanism has influenced therapy, child-rearing, and the workplace
Laid the foundation for positive psychology – studying what is right about people

20. Criticisms of Humanism
Difficult to test or validate scientifically
Tends to be too optimistic
Has a hard time explaining some of the more destructive aspects of human nature
wars & human cruelty