Humanist perspective

1. Humanist Perspective

2. Definition
Psychologists who take a humanist approach to
personality focus on our uniquely human capacity to
determine our own actions and futures
The belief that biology and parental influence are
real factors, but ultimately we have the free will to go
beyond these forces
Each individual is responsible for his/her own
outcome

3. History of Humanism
Created in early 1960s
Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers and Rollo May
This was created to replace psychoanalysis and
behaviorism with a third force in psychology
They wanted to draw a fuller picture of human
potential and personality

4. Abraham Maslow

5. Abraham Maslow
Maslow believed psychology ignored many positive
aspects in life such as joy, laughter, love, happiness
and beauty
He didn’t value the big five traits, but instead
qualities of the self-actualized person
Self actualization – striving for a life that is
meaningful, challenging and satisfying

6. Self Actualization
Maslow saw personality development as the slow
progression toward self actualization
He argued most psychologists had an imbalanced
view of human nature
-ie. Studying only emotional problem and negative traits like
insecurity

7. The Hierarchy of Needs

8. Carl Rogers
Rogers, like Freud, derived many of his ideas from
observing his clients in therapy
He was interested in not only why some people
cannot function well but also on fully functioning
individuals
Fully functioning people experience congruence,
which is harmony between what they project to
others and their true feelings and wishes
Fully functioning people are trusting, warm and
open rather than defensive or intolerant

9. Rogers continued
How do we become fully functioning individuals?
Unconditional positive regard – love and support for
the people we are without strings (conditions)
attached
Ex). Sarah kicks her brother over and over when she’s angry
with him. She also throws out her dinner from the window
because she hates peas  the parents can correct her behavior
WITHOUT withdrawing love from the child
The child can learn through this that the behavior is bad and
needs to be changed, not that Sarah herself is an awful person
Saying “violence is not allowed in this home” is very different
to “Sarah, you are a horrible, stupid child”

10. Rogers observations
Through his extensive experience giving therapy, he
observed many children are raised with conditional
positive regard – this is obviously not good (if you
have been listening in class!)
Ex). I will love you Sarah only if you behave well
Adults often engage in this repeatedly too
Those treated with conditional regard begin to
suppress or deny feelings or actions that they believe
are unacceptable to those they love

11. So what happens?
Conditional love = changing what you really say you
feel to someone  as a result you feel out of touch
with your feelings (incongruence) and realize
you’re not being true to your real self = low self
regard, defensiveness, and unhappiness

12. Rollo May
Also believed in free will
But emphasized some of the unavoidable difficult
and tragic aspects of human condition -
Existentialism
Ie). Loneliness, anxiety and alienation
Also, the search for meaning of life, the need to
confront death and living with the burden of
responsibility for our actions

13. The consequences of Free Will
Free will carries a price though, which is why so
many people often try to escape their freedom and
blame others for their misfortunes
Our personalities reflect the way we cope with our
struggles to find meaning in existence, to use our
freedom wisely and to face suffering and death
bravely
May made the following humanist idea popular:
We can choose to make the best of ourselves by drawing on
inner resources such as love and courage but can never escape
the harsh realities of life and loss