Module I Introduction to Humanistic Psychology

 Introduction
 Theory in humanistic psychology
 Development of the field
 Social issues & humanistic psychology

INTRODUCTION (see ppt also)

Humanistic psychology is a perspective that emphasizes looking at the whole

individual and stresses concepts such as free will, self-efficacy, and self-
actualization. Rather than concentrating on dysfunction, humanistic
psychology strives to help people fulfill their potential and maximize their well-
being.
This area of psychology emerged during the 1950s as a reaction to
psychoanalysis and behaviorism, which had dominated psychology during the
first half of the century. Psychoanalysis was focused on understanding the
unconscious motivations that drive behavior while behaviorism studied the
conditioning processes that produce behavior.

The first phase of humanistic psychology, which covered the period between
1960 to 1980, was largely driven by Maslow’s agenda for positive psychology.
It articulated a view of the human being as irreducible to parts, needing
connection, meaning, and creativity (Khan & Jahan, 2012).

The original theorists of humanistic theories included Abraham Maslow, Carl

Rogers, and Rollo May, who postulated that behaviorism and psychoanalysis
were inadequate in explaining human nature

Humanist thinkers felt that both psychoanalysis and behaviorism were too
pessimistic, either focusing on the most tragic of emotions or failing to take
into account the role of personal choice.

However, it is not necessary to think of these three schools of thought as

competing elements. Each branch of psychology has contributed to our
understanding of the human mind and behavior.
Humanistic psychology focuses on each individual's potential and stresses the
importance of growth and self-actualization. The fundamental belief of
humanistic psychology is that people are innately good and that mental and
social problems result from deviations from this natural tendency.
Humanistic psychology also suggests that people possess personal agency and
that they are motivated to use this free will to pursue things that will help
them achieve their full potential as human beings.
The need for fulfillment and personal growth is a key motivator of all behavior.
People are continually looking for new ways to grow, to become better, to
learn new things, and to experience psychological growth and self-
actualization.

The humanist movement had an enormous influence on the course of

psychology and contributed new ways of thinking about mental health. It
offered a new approach to understanding human behaviors and motivations
and led to the development of new techniques and approaches
to psychotherapy.

Some of the major ideas and concepts that emerged as a result of the
humanistic psychology movement include an emphasis on things such as:

 Client-centered therapy
 Free will
 Fully functioning person
 Hierarchy of needs
 Peak experiences
 Self-actualization
 Self-concept
 Unconditional positive regard

One of the major strengths of humanistic psychology is that it emphasizes the

role of the individual. This school of psychology gives people more credit for
controlling and determining their state of mental health.

It also takes environmental influences into account. Rather than focusing solely
on our internal thoughts and desires, humanistic psychology also credits the
environment's influence on our experiences.

Humanistic psychology helped remove some of the stigma attached to therapy

and made it more acceptable for normal, healthy individuals to explore their
abilities and potential through therapy.
The humanistic perspective is summarized by five basic assumptions –
1. As human, supersede the sum of their parts. They cannot be reduced to
components.
2. Have their existence in a uniquely human context.
3. Are aware and are aware of being aware – i.e., they are conscious.
Human consciousness always includes an awareness of oneself in the
context of other people.
4. Have the ability to make choices and, with that, responsibility.
5. Are intentional, aim at goals, are aware that they cause future events,
and seek meaning, value, and creativity.

Basic principles of humanistic-

1. Humans have free will; this is called personal agency.
2. All individuals are unique and have an innate (inborn) drive to achieve
their maximum potential.
3. A proper understanding of human behavior can only be achieved by
studying humans – not animals.
4. Subjective reality is the primary guide for human behavior.
5. The whole person should be studied in their environmental context.
6. the goal of psychology is to formulate a complete description of what it
means to be a human being (e.g. the importance of language, emotions,
and how humans seek to find meaning in their lives).

The humanistic approach states that the self is composed of concepts unique
to ourselves. The self-concept includes three components:
Self-worth
Self-worth (or self-esteem) comprises what we think about ourselves. Rogers
believed feelings of self-worth developed in early childhood and were formed
from the interaction of the child with the mother and father.

Self-image
How we see ourselves, which is important to good psychological health. Self-
image includes the influence of our body image on inner personality.
At a simple level, we might perceive ourselves as a good or bad person,
beautiful or ugly. Self-image affects how a person thinks, feels and behaves in
the world.

Ideal-self
This is the person who we would like to be. It consists of our goals and
ambitions in life, and is dynamic – i.e., forever changing.
The ideal self in childhood is not the ideal self in our teens or late twenties etc.

Theory in humanistic psychology

Development of the field

Humanistic psychology emerged during the middle half of the twentieth

century in direct response to psychoanalysis and behaviorism. The founders of
the humanist approach believed that Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic
perspective was too negative and focused only on pathology. B.F.
Skinner’s behaviorism, on the other hand, was too mechanistic and reduced
human nature down to simple conditioned responses.
A psychologist named Carl Rogers was instead interested in understanding all
of the things that helped people grow, change, improve, and thrive. He
believed that psychology was about much more than fixing problematic
behaviors or mental illness. It was also about helping people live the best lives
they can and achieve as much happiness as possible.
Rogers believed that all people possess what is known as an actualizing
tendency, or an innate need to strive to become their best possible self. This
concept of the actualizing tendency helped inspire psychologist Abraham
Maslow to create a hierarchy of human needs.
More basic needs lie near the bottom of this hierarchy, Maslow suggested. As
those needs are fulfilled, he proposed that more advanced needs take on
greater importance, including the need for self-actualization. He described this
as the need to fulfill one’s total potential and become all that one can possibly
be.
There are three different forces in Psychology: Psychoanalysis, Behaviourism &
Humanistic.
First force includes Psychoanalysis and the work of Alfred Adler, Eric Erickson,
Carl Jung, Erich Fromm.
Abraham Maslow called Behaviourism as the “second force” in Psychology.
Ivan Pavlov, BE Skinner and John B Watson contributed to its development
immensely.
In the late 1950s, psychologists like Abraham Maslow, Clark Moustakas and
Carl Rogers concerned with advancing a more holistic vision of psychology by
founding a professional association dedicated to a psychology that focused on
uniquely human issues, such as the self, self-actualization, health, hope, love,
creativity, nature, being, becoming, individuality, and meaning—that is, a
concrete understanding of human existence done two meetings in Detroit,
Michigan.
These meetings eventually led significant developments included the
formation of the Association for Humanistic Psychology (AHP) in 1961 and the
launch of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology (originally "The Phoenix") in
1961.
In 1971, humanistic psychology as a field was recognized by the American
Psychological Association (APA) and granted its own division (Division 32)
within the APA.
Division 32 publishes its own academic journal called The Humanistic
Psychologist.
The major theorists considered to have prepared the ground for Humanistic
Psychology are Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers and Rollo May.
Maslow was heavily influenced by Kurt Goldstein. Psychoanalytic writers also
influenced humanistic psychology.
Maslow himself famously acknowledged his "indebtedness to Freud" in
Towards a Psychology of Being.

Social issues & humanistic psychology

The passage you provided discusses the evolution of the focus of humanistic
psychology, particularly in relation to social and cultural issues. Here's an
explanation:

1. **Changing Focus of Humanistic Psychology:** In the past, the primary

emphasis of humanistic psychology was on understanding and promoting
individual well-being, personal growth, and self-actualization. However, the
passage highlights that in contemporary humanistic psychology, there has
been a notable shift towards investigating and addressing broader social,
cultural, and gender-related concerns.

2. **Diverse Topics Addressed:** The passage mentions several early writers

and thinkers associated with humanistic psychology who were pioneers in
exploring social and cultural issues. These thinkers delved into diverse topics
that were often critical of the prevailing societal norms and values. For
example, R.D. Laing examined the political nature of "normal" experiences,
Erich Fromm explored how modern consumerism affects our capacity to love,
Medard Boss focused on the increasing technological dominance over human
life, and Rollo May engaged in a debate with Carl Rogers on the question of
evil. These examples illustrate how early humanistic psychologists began to
incorporate societal and cultural considerations into their work.

3. **Convergence of Thinkers:** The passage also highlights the work of

Maureen O'Hara, who collaborated with both Carl Rogers and Paulo Freire.
O'Hara pointed out a convergence between the two thinkers, despite their
distinct approaches. Both Rogers and Freire were concerned with developing
critical consciousness, which is the awareness of oppressive and dehumanizing
situations. This shared emphasis on critical consciousness underscores the
growing recognition within humanistic psychology that understanding and
addressing social and cultural issues is essential for promoting human well-
being and personal growth.

In summary, the passage emphasizes the evolving nature of humanistic

psychology, as it has shifted from primarily focusing on individual psychology
to investigating and addressing pressing social, cultural, and gender-related
issues. Early humanistic psychologists laid the foundation for this shift by
exploring a wide range of topics that challenged societal norms, and
contemporary humanistic psychologists continue this tradition by examining
issues related to social transformation and the development of critical
consciousness in the face of oppression and dehumanization. This
demonstrates the adaptability and relevance of humanistic psychology in
addressing complex and contemporary challenges.

The association of humanistic discourse with narcissistic and overly optimistic

worldviews is a misreading of humanistic theory. In their response to Seligman
& Csikszentmihalyi (2000), Bohart and Greening (2001) note that along with
pieces on self-actualization and individual fulfillment, humanistic psychologists
have also published papers on a wide range of social issues and topics, such as
the promotion of international peace and understanding, awareness of the
holocaust, the reduction of violence, and the promotion of social welfare and
justice for all.