Humanistic Approach

• Humans have free will.We are able to determine and control our own development.
  
• All individuals are unique and have an innate (inborn) drive to achieve their maximum potential.(Self Actualisation)
  
• 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).
• Humans should be viewed as a whole and not reduced to component parts.
• To be psychologically healthy the real self and the ideal self must be congruent.

The Person Centred Therapy focus on the client's immediate situations rather than their past.The therapist works on having a close and personal relationship with the client. Person Centred Therapy is a non-directive,talking therapy . the therapist encourages the client to express their inner feelings. Rather than telling the client what to do the therapist acts a mirror listening and reflecting back the clients thoughts and feelings. This way the client has the free will to decide what changes to make in order for them to achieve personal growth.

An individual must be congruent with their sense of self in order to achieve personal growth.

(1) The self concept : The way a person see him/herself. (2) The Ideal self : the person whom we would like to be (3) The real self : The person we actually are( The aim of person -centred therapy is to increase the clients level of congruence.

Empathy GenuinenessUnconditional positive regards.

Children raised in an environment where they are only made feel worthy if they behave in the way which is pleasing to their parent. . Rogers stated that many psychologist problem experienced as adults for example worthlessness, low self esteem due to the lack of positive regards from our mothers as children.

Physiological (Sex,Food) Safety ,Love , Esteem and Self-actualisation. In other to achieve Self-actualisation, that is to become a fully functioning,Psychologically healthy individual all the four lower levels needs must be met.

In the workplace Employers understand that for individual satisfaction and efficiency, it is essential they discover how their employees view their job in terms of need satisfaction . this allows employees to match people to jobs that they are qualified for and would give them the most satisfaction.

The Humanistic approach rejects experimental research hence the its only significant attempt at an objective research is the use of Q sorts used to investigate an individuals perception of themselves. Other research methods occasionally used are :

• Humanistic approach 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.
• Highlights the value of more individualistic and idiographic methods of study.
• It promotes the idea of personal responsibility.( Free will rather than determinism)

• Ignores biology (e.g. testosterone).
• Unscientific – subjective concepts.
  
• E.g. cannot objectively measure self-actualization.
  
• Humanism ignores the unconscious mind.
• Humanistic psychologists over emphasise the person's ability to change and develop for example they ignore cultural constraints.
• Their belief in free will is in opposition to the deterministic laws of science.