Humanistic Approach

1. Humanistic Approach Por: Eva Febres Valerie Gonzalez Melissa Moretta

2. Introduction • Began in response to concerns by therapists against perceived limitations of Psychodynamic theories, especially psychoanalysis. • The aim was to find a new approach that has another perspective on human behavior. • Then comes the humanistic approach, emphasizing the study of the whole person, and the uniqueness of each individual. • This approach differs from other approaches because, including the emphasis on subjective meaning, a rejection of determinism, and a concern for positive growth rather than pathology.

3. Introduction • Humanistic psychologists look at human behavior not only through the eyes of the observer, but through the eyes of the person doing the behaving. • The humanistic approach is thus often called the “third force” in psychology after psychoanalysis and behaviorism (Maslow, 1968). • Humanism emphasizes that both perspectives, behaviorism and psychoanalysis are regarded as dehumanizing.

4. Existential Approach (Sartre and Jean Paul) • Existentialists start from the premise that there is no absolute meaning to life, and hence that life in a purely rational sense is without purpose. Interestingly, however, from this bleak beginning, many arrive at interpretations that nonetheless affirm a value to life. • Considerations: • Human free will. • Human nature is chosen through life choices. • Decisions are not without stress and consequences. • A person is best when struggling against their individual nature, fighting for life. • Personal responsibility and discipline is crucial.

5. Humanistic theorist:Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow • Rogers and Maslow regarded personal growth and fulfillment in life as a basic human motive. This means that each person, in different ways, seeks to grow psychologically and continuously enhance themselves. This has been captured by the term self-actualization which is about psychological growth, fulfillment and satisfaction in life.  However, Rogers and Maslow both describe different ways of how self-actualization can be achieved. • Central to the humanist theories of Rogers (1959) and Maslow (1943) are the subjective, conscious experiences of the individual. (McLeod, S.A. 2007).

6. Humanistic psychology considers the human being as… • Humans have free will; not all behavior is determined. • All individuals are unique and have an innate (inborn) drive to achieve their maximum potential. • A proper understanding of human behavior can only be achieved by studying humans - not animals. • Psychology should study the individual case (idiographic) rather than the average performance of groups (nomothetic).

7. Strengths of Humanism • Shifted the focus of behavior to the individual / whole person rather than the unconscious mind, genes, observable behavior etc. • Humanistic psychology satisfies most people's idea of what being human means because it values personal ideals and self-fulfillment. • Qualitative data gives genuine insight and more holistic information into behavior.

8. Humanism and Education • School is to get the students to discover their own existence; purposes of self-realization and self-esteem. • Humanistic teacher is a facilitator, guide, and counselor. • The student is a judge of his own knowledge, executor of his own intelligence. • Educational Methodology is discovery, Socratic method, the students are individualized according to learning styles, and it encourages reflective thinking.

9. Humanistic Approach Limitations • Other fields of psychology not considered scientific to humanistic approach because it has no probable base, for example when they say that the human being is free. They thinks that the human are a consequences of behavior. • Humanism ignores the unconscious mind. • Qualitative data is difficult to compare.

10. Maslow Hierarchy

11. Conclusion To conclude, the humanistic approach sees the human being different from animals. Considers the individual as responsible for her/him action and able to come to a realization by themself without anything else. The motivation of humanist person is intrapersonal. The humanistic approach aims to study the inside of the person, their personality, and motivation. Humanistic education develops freedom expression, stimulate creativity, develop self-responsibility and reflective thoughts, help to respect the ideas of others because they are unique beings.

12. References McLeod, S. A. (2007). Humanism. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/humanistic.html Philosophy All About. (2013). Existentialism. retrieved from: http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/existentialism.htm Ryerson University. (n.d.). The Humanistic Approach. retrieved from: http://www.ryerson.ca/~glassman/humanist.html#Humanistic