“It is not things in themselves that trouble us, but our opinions of things.” “Change your thoughts and you change your world." “I do not react to some absolute reality, but to my perception of this reality. It is this perception which for me is reality.”

Awareness is everything! Conscious experience is all that matters The past is only important if it affects your thoughts and feelings now Even if “reality” exists, it doesn’t matter Note how different from other approaches –Trait –Genetic –Psychodynamic

Humanistic Psychology The study of the mind is different than any other science The mind is aware! –The mind is attempting to understand the mind

Awareness Existentialism –The cs mind has a sense of “existence” Phenomenological –The “phenomenon” of experience Humanistic –This phenomenon is uniquely human

Phenomenological, Humanistic, and Existentialism Free will Awareness Meaning Responsibilities of free will The object of study are human beings

Free Will Previous approaches CS experience is personality The UCS mind does not matter The past does not matter Only times these do matter is if you let them –Gordon Liddy example

Awareness What does it feel like to exist? Umwelt –Senses you feel as a biological organism Mitwelt –Feelings related to social experiences Eigenwelt –Feelings when you think of your own existence

What would you have been like if you... Were born to an extremely wealth family? Were born to an extremely poor family? Were born in North Dakota in 1952? Were born in England in 1500?

Thrown-ness The circumstances into which you happened to be born What time period do you think it is most difficult to find a sense of meaning?

Meaning Modern times Why are you here? What should you be doing? Angst –Existential anxiety

What to do? “Lucky mud” Free choice – must not “blow” your chance to find “meaning” –Not a “true” meaning, but a personal “meaning”

Authentic Existence Come to terms with your existence –Life is shot –You will die –You are in control of your choices – find meaning Still not a “happy” existence –Life is shot –Your will die –Meaning is only an illusion

Bad Faith Avoid Angst Stop worrying about the problems of existence

Bad Faith Problems 1) Living a lie –Might as well just be the “unlucky mud” 2) Still will not be happy 3) Still making a choice –Chosen not to chose is a choice –“Man is condemned to freedom”

Carl Rogers

“... the most wonderful miracle in the world took place..”

Subjective Experiences Inner reality more important than objective reality Inner experiences Conscious experiences –Experiences that can be verbalized or imagined Unconscious experiences –Experiences that cannot be verbalized or imagined

Self-Actualizing Tendency Innate motive toward fulfillment of our potentials Evidence –Rat and human studies –Evolution “Innate goodness”

So why do people do bad things? Infants perceive their experiences as reality

Uninhibited by the evaluations of others All behavior directed toward satisfying need for SA Organismic Valuing Process –SA is the criterion used to make judgments of worth

As we get older.... Start to experience a need for positive regard –Satisfying the needs for others satisfies this need

True self

Social self Created through contact with others

True selfSocial self Prevents us from getting into touch with our true self

True selfSocial self Leads to “conditions of worth”

So why do people do bad things? Social self hinders movement toward SA Not behaving like true self causes anxiety Anxiety causes defense mechanisms

So why do people do bad things? Psychotic

Positive Development Avoid conditions of worth Unconditional positive regard Congruence between true self and experiences

Fully Functioning Person Open to experience Characterized by existential living Trust their organisms Are creative Live rich lives

Abraham Maslow

“She kissed back and then life began.”

Self-Actualizing Tendency Innate motive toward fulfillment of our potentials Environment can cause problems

Needs Can be biological or instinctive A state of affairs which, if present, would improve the well being of the person Example: food

Needs An unsatisfied need will dominate an individual's thoughts and behaviors Once a need is satisfied it no longer has as much influence on a person

Example DeficitNeedMotive Thoughts and Fantasies Behaviors Have not eatenNeed for foodHunger Think about food, fantasizing about a big meal Go to store, buy food, bring it home, cook it

Group Activity DeficitNeedMotive Thoughts and Fantasies Behaviors

Needs What needs are basic? Physical –Food, water, air, etc. Safety –freedom from threat, danger, etc.

Needs What needs are basic? Social / Belonging –desire for affiliation, beloning, etc. Self-Esteem –desire for self-confidence, recognition, respect, etc.

Needs What needs are basic? Self-Actualization –“to become everything one is capable of becoming”

Needs Which needs are more salient to survival? There is an order that these needs typically occur –Evolutionary explanation

Need Hierarchy Theory Physiological Needs

Need Hierarchy Theory Physiological Needs Safety Needs

Need Hierarchy Theory Physiological Needs Safety Needs Social Needs

Need Hierarchy Theory Physiological Needs Safety Needs Social Needs Self-Esteem Needs

Need Hierarchy Theory Physiological Needs Safety Needs Social Needs Self-Esteem Needs Self-Actualization Needs

Need Hierarchy Theory 1) Behavior is dominated by the needs that are unfulfilled 2) Individuals will satisfy the most basic needs first and move up the hierarchy 3) Basic needs have higher priority than higher needs

Group Activity Physiological Needs Safety Needs Social Needs Self-Esteem Needs Self-Actualization Needs Where are you? What are you doing to achieve the needs associated with this level?

Group Activity 1. I do not feel ashamed of any of my emotions. 2. I do not feel I must do what others expect of me. 3. I believe that people are essentially good and can be trusted. 4. I feel free to be angry at those I love. 5. It is not necessary that others approve of what I do.

Group Activity 6. I accept my own weaknesses. 7. I can like people without having to approve of them. 8. I do not fear failure 9. I do not avoid attempts to analyze and simplify complex domains. 10. It is better to be yourself than to be popular.

Group Activity 11. I have a mission in life to which I feel especially dedicated. 12. I can express my feelings even when they result in undesirable consequences. 13. I feel responsible to help others. 14. I am not bothered by fears of being inadequate. 15. I am loved because I give love

Scores Men –M = 45.02, SD = 4.95 –W = 46.07, SD = 4.79

Self-Actualization “Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time” What you are doing when you are not attempting to satisfy another need Your “true” nature –“to become everything one is capable of becoming”

What if.... You won a large sum of money? What would you do? Would this make you happy?

Are you happy?

Why to we value material goods? Stuff Most common response to “what will improve your life” More money!

Is this true? 1950 – present Violent crime Family breakdown Psychosomatic complaints Depression Suicides Happiness has stayed the same (30% very happy) –Although income has doubled!

Is this true? Wealthiest vs. “average” incomes Very little difference in “happiness”

Is this true? Lottery winners vs. victims struck with severe medical problems Happiness goes back to before

Why? Habituated to money How much money would you need to fulfill your dreams? Under $30,000 –$50,000 Over $100,000 –$250,000 Makes evolutionary sense

Why? Energy gets focused on material goods Loses sense of other important aspects of life

Need Hierarchy Theory Physiological Needs Safety Needs Social Needs Self-Esteem Needs Self-Actualization Needs

Achieving Happiness Happiness is a mental state Achieving it can be done via cognitive means

Questionnaire

Flow Self-Actualization and “Flow” –Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Optimal Experiences –Doing something for its own sake, even though it may have no consequences outside itself Moment-to-moment CS experience Examples?

Flow Engaged deeply in an activity 1) Know clearly what they have to do moment by moment 2) Immediate feedback 3) Tremendous concentration 4) Little distractibility 5) Elevated mood 6) Time passes quickly

Flow How do you find flow? Engage in activates that are challenging –Not too easy –Not too hard

Flow Happiness Not felt while in flow –Feel on reflection Important, but not sufficient for happiness

Need Hierarchy Theory Physiological Needs Safety Needs Social Needs Self-Esteem Needs Self-Actualization Needs

Flow and Self-Actualization Self-Actualization –What you do when you are not attempting to satisfy a need –“Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time” –Peak Experiences Flow –Optimal Experience –Done for its own sake, even though it may have no consequences outside itself Flow is what “self-actualization” feels like

George Kelly

Activity Questionnaire 1) Put names on the top 2) For row #1 Look at the three people marked with a “O”. Determine how two of these people are different than the third. Mark these two people with a check mark. Write how they are different (one or two words) in the “similarity pole” box. Write how the third is different in the “contrast pole” box. 3) Repeat for each row 4) Score everyone else in each row with a check mark How do you describe people Commonly use Constructs that are learned –Start to see the world a different way

Every Person is a Scientist We have our own theories about human behavior We have constructs that we think are important –Not as “scientific” as traditional science It is our VIEW of reality that is important –Not reality itself

Construct Our constructs determine how we interpret an event Constructs are bipolar –What is the other pole is also subjective Thus two people may see the same event differently

Charlie SincereInsincere Willy SincereMorally degenerate s

Charlie SincereInsincere Willy SincereMorally degenerate

If they see Veruca Salt do something that is not sincere

Will think she is insincere React with mild disapproval

If they see Veruca Salt do something that is not sincere Will think she is morally degenerate Will be angry and upset

Constructive Alternativism All of us are capable of changing our interpretation of events –Our constructs Behavior is never determined

Research Using RCRT Can understand constructs person uses to see the world Can understand how a person sees self –Look at the check marks (and missing check marks) How a person sees self in relation to others –Who do you think you are most similar too? –Are you similar to anyone? Look at number of check marks in the self column

Research Cognitive Complexity Did you use different constructs across all people? –Cognitive simplicity Do not differentiate how you perceive others –Cognitive complexity Highly different views of others

Research Cognitive Complexity Differentiate among many different events in the environments – should be able to make more accurate judgments

Research Cognitive Complexity Better able to anticipate school stresses Make more realistic occupational choices Better able to predict the behavior of others

Review Freud Key ideas –Psychic Determinism –Unconscious –Internal Structure –Psychic Conflict –Mental Energy –Doctrine of Opposites Parts of the mind

Review Freud Psychosexual stages Defense mechanisms –Denial –Repression –Reaction Formation –Projection –Rationalization –Intellectualization –Regression –Sublimation

Review Freud Parapraxes Humor

Review Neo-Freudians Carl Jung –Archetypes –Collective Unconscious Alfred Adler –Feelings of inferiority –Striving for superiority –Importance of birth order

Review Neo-Freudians Karen Horney –Anxiety –Coping with anxiety (types) Erick Erikson –Eight stages of development

Review Existentialism Phenomenonological Humanistic –Free will –Awareness –Meaning

Review Carl Rogers –Self-Actualization –True self vs. social self –Conditions of wroth –Unconditional positive regard Abraham Maslow –Hierarchy of needs Flow George Kelly –Constructs