Exam questions plan incuding answers to:
It has been claimed that the humanistic approach has little to offer psychology. Outline and evaluate the humanistic approach in psychology. Refer to at least one other approach in your answer (16 marks).
Explain one way in which social learning theory o...
It has been claimed that the humanistic approach has little to offer psychology. Outline and
evaluate the humanistic approach in psychology. Refer to at least one other approach
in your answer (16 marks)
-Write the assumptions of the Humanistic approach: -rejects other approaches, -it’s positive,
understands subjective experience and self determination, -focuses on healthy growth,
person centered approach.
-Write about free will: the definition; how it affects the belief of this approach; leads to a less
deterministic approach; humans are active agents that determine our own development.
Roger and Maslow reject scientific models- we are unique so subjective experience is more
important than general laws.
-Write about self actualisation: the definition; we all strive to meet it; if reached we are
fulfilled, satisfied and goal orientated.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs: say what it is: hierarchical sequence; basic needs have to be
satisfied before higher psychological needs can be; a human is always somewhere on it; as
you go up you develop more personal growth; first 4 lower levels must be met before self-
actualisation can be met.
The levels: Physiological needs, Safety and security, Love/belongingness, Self-esteem, Self
actualisation.
-Write about the self, congruence and conditions of worth: for self actualisation to be
achieved the perceived self and the ideal self must have congruence with one another.
Define the perceived and ideal self
Humans can experience a state of incongruence-self actualisation might not be possible.
-Talk about rogers client centered therapy: none direct present therapy; reduces gap
between selves; issues in adulthood have their roots in childhood due to a lack of an
unconditional positive regard from parents (conditions of worth)-Link childhood to social
learning theory and psychodynamic approach; Therapy provides client with unconditional
positive regard; closing gap of 2 selves.
Strengths:
-Not reductionist -link to other approaches in example of how they explain behaviour,most
approaches ignore this idea
-Real world applications - e.g. contemporary therapists, explains motivation in workplace -
similar to freud, he created a therapy called psychoanalysis however that focuses on the
unconscious mind instead of conscious
-Positive approach -opposite to freud as he saw humans as slaves of their past and
everyone was between common unhappiness and absolute despair
Weaknesses:
-However counter argument-unrealistic view of human nature, link to last strength- freud may
have had a better understanding of human nature an individual's capacity for destruction
however this approach doesn't -e.g. Average person watches 25hours a week of TV -so the
positive idea of everyone wanting to develop personal growth is unrealistic compared to
psychodynamic.
-Cultural bias - collectivist cultures wont identify with the ideas of this approach -compared
with the social learning theory which principles do account for cultural differences
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