Humanistic psychology

Humanistic psychology is a psychological perspective that emphasizes the study of the whole person. This approach looks at human behavior not only through the eyes of the observer, but through the eyes of the person doing the behaving.

Overview

Humanistic psychologists believe that an individual's behavior is connected to his inner feelings and self-image. Unlike the behaviorists, humanistic psychologists believe that humans are not solely the product of their environment. They believe that humans are innately good and that mental and social problems result from deviations from this natural tendency.

History

Humanistic psychology began as a reaction to psychoanalysis and behaviorism, which dominated psychology in the late 1940s. Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow initiated this movement to provide a distinct, humanistic approach to psychotherapy, which emphasizes the individual's inherent drive towards self-actualization and creativity.

Key Concepts

Self-Actualization

Self-actualization is a term that was first introduced by the organismic theorist Kurt Goldstein and was later adopted by Abraham Maslow, who made it central to his approach. Self-actualization refers to the desire that everybody has 'to become everything that they are capable of becoming'. In other words, it refers to self-fulfillment and the need to reach one's full potential as a unique human being.

The 'Third Force'

Humanistic psychology is often referred to as the "third force" in psychology, coming after psychoanalysis and behaviorism. It is called the third force because it integrates the best aspects of the first two forces, namely the focus on the individual, and the value of empirical research.

Criticisms

Despite its significant influence on psychology, humanistic psychology has also been criticized for its subjectivity and lack of empirical evidence. Critics argue that it relies too heavily on qualitative research methods and not enough on quantitative methods, which makes it difficult to test its theories scientifically.

See Also

• Abraham Maslow
• Carl Rogers
• Self-actualization
• Psychoanalysis
• Behaviorism

References

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