Chapter Eleven Self-Actualization and Self-Determination Self-Actualization and Self-Determination

Self-Actualization Carl Rogers Actualization—tendency to develop capabilities in ways that maintain or enhance the organism (present in all living creatures) Self-Actualization—promotes maintenance or enhancement of the self –Moves person toward greater autonomy and self- sufficiency –Promotes congruence, organization, wholeness, and integration in the person

Self-Actualization (Continued) Organismic value process—mechanism that evaluates whether experiences are actualizing –If not, nagging sense that something isn’t right –If yes, person is operating as “fully functional person”

Need for Positive Regard Strong motive for love, friendship, and affection from important others –Unconditional Positive Regard—given without any conditions or contingencies –Conditional Positive Regard—given only in situations that meet particular conditions Conditions of Worth—conditions under which a person is considered worthy of regard Conditional Self-Regard—application of conditions of worth to self

Implications of Conditions of Worth Conflicts between self-actualization and fulfilling conditions of worth –Example: Desire to be a musician in conflict with recognition of parents’ aspirations for their child to be a doctor Sometimes hard to tell true desire from conditions of worth –Condition of worth is a precondition for acceptance and is always coercive

Self-Determination Ed Deci Three needs that must be satisfied for a life of growth, integrity, and well-being –Autonomy (Self-determination) –Competence –Relatedness

Self-Determination Self-Determined Actions—done because of intrinsic value to self –Longer interest is maintained Controlled Actions—done to gain payment or satisfy external pressure –Rewards can undermine intrinsic value of some activities and turn them into controlled actions Activities are resistant to this effect if the reward informs you about your competency

Introjection and Identification Introjected Regulation: –Applies standards of “should” and “ought” to behavior –Behavior done to avoid guilt or to get self-approval –Control exerted from external sources Identified Regulation: –Process whereby behavior comes to hold personal meaning and value (often for growth) over time –Not as self-determined as intrinsically motivated behavior, but it’s close

Need for Relatedness Represents an intrinsic need Characterized by genuine connectedness with others and unconditional acceptance Not a need based on pressure or demand Not in conflict with autonomy

Self-Concordance Pursuit of goals that are consistent with core values These bring more contribution to a sense of well-being Creates a positive spiral of benefit Pursuit of core goals Greater effort Higher success More satisfaction Higher well-being

Free Will Emphasizes that people are free to determine: –How they act –What to become –If they are to be self-actualized or accept conditions of worth Reactance—assertion of freedom when a threat to freedom is perceived Perceptions of free will can be experimentally manipulated

The Self Development of the self represents gradual differentiation during infancy Self-Concept—set of qualities a person sees as being a part of herself –Actual—perception of the way you really are –Ideal—what you really want to be Self-actualization creates a closer fit between the actual and ideal selves

Incongruity, Disorganization, and Defense Incongruence—a disorganization in the self that is detected by the organismic value process –Leads to anxiety –Can cause low self-esteem Ways to defend against anxiety of incongruence –Distortions of the experience Rationalization –Prevent from reaching awareness Denial Avoid situations that trigger perceptions of incongruence

Self-Esteem Maintenance and Enhancement Defenses protect and maintain self-esteem Conditions necessary for an event to have an effect on self-esteem –Event attributable to you –Event must be interpreted as good or bad Defense against failures –Minimize negativity of event (wasn’t so bad) –Resist attributions to stable qualities of self Blame others, lack of effort, excuses Enhancement through success –Attribute to stable characteristics of self –Claim control of those characteristics

Self-Handicapping Acting in a way that creates condition for failure Hard goals and substantial risk of failure represent threats to self-esteem Create an external situation on which potential failure can be attributed and self- esteem can be maintained No threat to stable qualities of the self

Hierarchy of Motives Abraham Maslow –Focused on most well-adjusted, fully functioning people –Examined motivations and how they are organized Self- actualization need Esteem needs Love and belonging needs Safety and physical security needs Physiological needs

Implication of Hierarchy Low-level needs are more primitive and demanding than higher-level needs Power of motive forces decrease as you go up the pyramid Higher-level motives represent more distinctly human characteristics Needs at lower level must be met before attending to higher-level needs Low-level needs are deficit motivated and high- level needs are growth motivated

Self-Actualizers Efficient and accurate in perceiving reality Accepting of themselves, others, and of nature Spontaneous in thought and emotion, natural rather than artificial Problem-centered, concerned with eternal philosophical questions Independent and autonomous when it comes to satisfactions Freshness of appreciation of ordinary events Deep ties, but only with a few persons Appreciate, for its own sake the process of doing things Philosophical, thoughtful, nonhostile sense of humor Maintain inner detachment from culture in which they live Appear temperamental and even ruthless

Peak Experiences Times when actualization is clearly occurring Heightened sense of connection to elements in surrounding environment Clarity of perception Distortion of time Subjective feelings of awe, wonder, and ecstasy More common during work than leisure

Existential Psychology Emphasis on individual’s personal experience in life with a focus on the existential dilemma Central construct — “Dasein” –Translates as being-in-the-world –Conveys a sense of experience as an autonomous, separate, evolving entity in the world Key issue in life is the inevitability of death –Results in angst –How to respond to this realization NothingnessAuthentic Being

Terror Management Attempt to construct lives imbued with meaning and value as a response to the potential terror of mortality Often define meaning by social and cultural processes –Group identity is important –Rejection of indications of animal nature

Assessment Many assessment techniques –Interview—content analysis organizes responses into meaningful groups –Q-Sort—Sort items into piles that correspond to particular criteria (e.g., most like you to least like you) –Inventories for self-actualization, autonomy, and control

Problems in Behavior Problems arise from: –Incongruity and the negative affect that results –Living in order to meet conditions of worth –Not living in ways that promote self- acutalization

Therapy Client-Centered Therapy: –Responsibility for improvement lies with client –Removes distractions, so self-actualization processes can move client toward greater integration –Therapist demonstrates unconditional positive regard and empathy –Nonevaluative, rather therapist reflects with Clarification of feelings Restatement of content