The Humanistic Perspective Of Personality Unit 5

Humanistic Psychology In the 1960’s people became sick of Freud’s negativity. Along came psychologists who wanted to focus on “healthy” people and how to help them strive to “be all that they can be”.

Abraham Maslow’s Self Actualizing Person Created the Hierarchy of Needs Ultimately seek self- actualization the process of fulfilling our potential Maslow developed his ideas by studying what he termed “healthy people”.

Who did Maslow study?

Self-Actualized People -They share certain characteristics: They are self aware and self accepting Open and spontaneous Loving and caring Not paralyzed by others’ opinions. They are secure in who they are.

Self-Actualized People Problem centered rather than self-centered. Focused their energy on a particular task. Few deep relationships, rather than many superficial ones.

Self-Actualization These are the qualities that make up a mature adult. These people have found their calling in life.

Table Talk What are the key characteristics of a self-actualized person? Name a few other celebrities that you believe have reached self-actualization. Why them?

Carl Rogers’s Person-Centered Perspective People are basically GOOD. We are like Acorns -Need Water, Sun and Nutrients to Grow into a big Oak Tree. We need genuineness, acceptance and empathy for us to mature.

Genuineness Being open with your own feelings. Dropping your facade. Being transparent and self-disclosing.

Acceptance Unconditional Positive Regard: - An attitude of acceptance regardless of circumstances. - Accepting yourself or others completely.

Empathy Listening, sharing, understanding and mirroring feelings and reflecting their meanings.

Self-Concept All of thoughts and feelings about ourselves trying to answer the question…. …WHO AM I?

Self-Concept Both Rogers and Maslow believed that your self-concept is at the center of your personality. If our self concept is positive…. - We tend to act and perceive the world positively. If our self-concept is negative…. - We fall short of our “ideal self” and feel dissatisfied and unhappy

Activity For each of the following slides pick one of the options and say / write down WHY you choose that option. Example: If slide has a picture of a beach & a mountain vista which one would you rather go to and why.

Which do you prefer? Beach Mountain vista

Do labels really matter? Yes NO

WHO ARE YOU to others? Real Self Your Ideal Self

HOWS YOUR Self-Esteem? HIGH LOW

Do you like you….really? Genuine No\ Fake

Reflect on your answers to the activity