The Humanistic
Psychology
Abraham Maslow
Carl Rogers
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1st force: Psychodynamic Theory
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2nd force: Behavioral Theory
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3rd force: Humanistic Theory
Existentialist and Humanistic
Theorists Both…
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Believe in Free Will
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Humanist do not believe that human being are pushed and
pulled by mechanical forces, either of stimuli and
reinforcements (behaviorism) or of unconscious instinctual
impulses (psychoanalysis).
Emphasize the uniqueness of each individual
Believe that humans strive for an upper level of
capabilities.
Humans seek the frontiers of creativity, the highest
reaches of consciousness and wisdom.
However…
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On Human Nature…
Existentialists see it as non-existent or neutral
 Humanists see it as basically good
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Optimism vs. Pessimism
Humanists optimistic about humanity and the future
 Existentialists tend to be much more gloomy
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Abraham Maslow on Existential
Gloom
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“I do not think we need to take too
seriously the European existentialists’
harping on dread, anguish, despair,
and the like, for which their only
remedy seems to be a stiff upper lip.
This high IQ whimpering on a
cosmic scale occurs whenever an
external source of values fails to
work. They should have learned
from the psychotherapists that the
loss of illusions and the discovery of
identity, though painful at first, can
ultimately be exhilarating and
strengthening.”
Biography
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He was born April 1, 1908 in Brooklyn, New York.
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He was the first of seven children born to his parents
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His parents were uneducated Jewish immigrants from Russia.
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Maslow became very lonely as a boy, and found his refuge in books.
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He married Bertha Goodman, his first cousin, against his parents
wishes. Abraham and Bertha went on to have two daughters.
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on June 8 1970, he died of a heart attack after years of ill health.
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To satisfy his parents, he first studied law at the City College
of New York (CCNY). After three semesters, he transferred to
Cornell, and then back to CCNY
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BA in 1930, MA in 1931, and PhD in 1934, all in psychology,
and all from the University of Wisconsin.
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Returned to New York to work with E. L. Thorndike at
Columbia.
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In 1951, served as the chair of the psychology department at
Brandeis for 10 years, where he began work in selfactualization.
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Work with monkeys early in his career
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Some needs take precedence over others, e.g.
taking care of the thirst over hunger.
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Thirst is a “stronger” need than hunger.
Maslow’s Three Types of Needs
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Basic Needs
Needs to Know and Understand
Aesthetic Needs
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Basic Needs
Self-actualization Needs
Esteem Needs
Love & Belonging Needs
Safety Needs
Biological Needs
Physiological Needs
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Needs for food, water, air, etc.
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One function of civilization is to satisfy these
needs so we can focus on the higher ones
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Behavioral research usually studies at this level
Safety Needs
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Needs for safety, order, security, etc.
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Focused on after physiological needs met
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Most commonly seen in children
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Seen in some mental disorders (e.g., ObsessiveCompulsive Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, Dependent
Personality Disorder)
Belongingness & Love Needs
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The need for affiliation, for friends, supportive
family, group identification, intimate
relationships
This level and higher ones often not satisfied
even in affluent countries
These needs being unfulfilled at the root of
many mental disturbances (depression,
Borderline Personality Disorder)
Need to receive and to give love
Esteem Needs
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Need to be held in high regard by self and
others (not just “self-esteem”)
comes from mastery, achievement, adequacy,
feelings of competence, confidence,
independence
Ideally this need met by the deserved respect of
others
Self-Actualization Needs
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A person must actualize, that is make real, what
exists inside them as a potential
Most other theorists wouldn’t see this as a need
Freud would predict people would stop at lower
needs
 Even Adler might predict stopping at esteem needs
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Maslow’s Hierarchy of Basic Needs
Self-actualization Needs
Esteem Needs
Love & Belongingness Needs
Safety Needs
Physiological Needs
Carl Rogers
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“In a psychological
climate which is
nurturant of growth and
choice, I have never
known an individual to
choose the cruel or
destructive path….it is
cultural influences which
are the major factor in
our evil behaviors.”
Biography
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Carl grew up on a farm in Illinois, developing an
interest in biology & agriculture.
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Expressing emotions was not allowed in the Rogers
household & it took its toll on Carl who developed an
ulcer at 15.
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Rogers went to the University of Wisconsin to study
agriculture in 1919.
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Traveled to China and exposed to Eastern religion---this is a turning point in his religious up-bringing.
Biography
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He finished his degree and left for Union Theological Seminary
in NY to become a minister.
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1926 left seminary to study psychology.
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He gained recognition when he won the APA award for
distinguished scientific contribution in 1956.
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In 1963, he moved to La Jolla, California. Developed the Center
for Studies of the Person.
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He continued his scientific efforts, writing, holding workshops,
etc. until he died in 1987.
Carl Rogers: Person-Centered Approach
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Rogers believed that humans are basically good.
He argued that we have an innate drive to reach
an optimal sense of ourselves & satisfaction
with our lives.
The Actualizing Tendency
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We do not behave irrationally, as
psychoanalysis assumed--we move with
ordered complexity toward our goals
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This tendency leads to complexity,
independence, and social responsibility
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The motivation intrinsic to each person is
basically good and healthy
Person-Centered Theory - The
Actualizing Tendency
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A person who pays attention to the organismic valuing
process is self-actualizing or fully functioning
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A person who is fully functioning has several
characteristics: openness to experience, existential living,
organismic trusting, experiential freedom, and creativity
Characteristics of a Fully Functioning
Person
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1. These people are open to their experiences.
They strive to experience life to its fullest & are
willing to take some risks.
2. These people live in the present (here & now).
3. These folks trust their own feelings &
instincts. They aren’t held back by old standards
or concern for what others might think.
4. These folks are less concern with social
conventions.
Conditions of Worth & Unconditional
Positive Regard
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Rogers argues that most of us grow up in an
atmosphere where we are given love & support
as long as we behave the way we are expected to.
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This is what he calls Conditional positive
regard. The emphasis is that love is given
conditionally (with a string attached).
If we don’t do what our parents want us
to do?
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Rogers argued that in these cases, parents
withhold their love from us.
As a result of this, children learn to abandon
their true feelings, wishes, & desires, for those
of their parents.
This paves the way for us to become alienated
from our true selves.
Unconditional positive regard
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We need this to accept all parts of our personality.
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With this we know we are loved & valued for being
who we are.
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Parents can do this, by it clear that their love is not
contingent on the child’s behavior (even when such
behavior is abhored).
Conditions in Person-Centered
Therapy
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Direction comes from the client rather than
from the therapist’s insights, so referred to as
nondirective therapy, later client-centered therapy
Empathy
 Congruence/Genuineness
 Unconditional Positive Regard
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