Roger's Person-Centered Theory
BIOGRAPHY
raised in a warm family, attended Union Theological Seminary.
Held several positions and resigned from Univ. of Wisconsin when they denied
reforms he called for.
Served as president of the APA.
CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES
Phenomenological field - person’s unconscious and conscious experience at a
given moment, the subjective reality of the person.
Self actualizing tendency (has biological and psychological aspects) - drive
towards fulfillment of our potentials. Includes:
1. biological aspects - relate to survival needs like food and water.
2. psychological aspects - relate to reaching our potentials and being a
worthwhile person.
organismic valuing process - innate bodily mechanism for determining which
choices
(e.g., foods) are right and wrong for us.
Davis (1928) - cited by Rogers and humanists. Three babies were allowed to
choose their own foods, all three made “organismically” good choices.
Criticisms of Davis:
1. gestures may have been
misinterpreted by nurses.
2. sample of only three babies was too small.
3. none of the foods were
really lacking in nutritional value.
The “animal literature” does not
support the organismic valuing
process.
Fully functioning persons - utilize
their potentials to the maximum
degree. They are open to new
experiences. They live “in the present” trust their instincts, are creative and live
rich lives, and trust their own experience.
Emerging persons - have given up the “rat race” and are moving towards
becoming fully functioning. They trust their own experience and have a profound
distrust of all external authority.
social self vs. true self
social self - self a concept of ourselves based largely on the approval of others.
true self - self concept based on our own feelings and experiences.
need for positive regard - we (most of us) need the support and approval of
others.
conditions of worth - ways of behaving that are required for acceptance by
others.
Conditional positive regard - acceptance based on “conditions of worth.”
Unconditional positive regard - acceptance of the person free of any
requirements or “conditions of worth,”
(You can get lots of this from your dog or, if you’re lucky, from your therapist).
Lack of “congruence” - exists if there is a discrepancy between the person’s
behaviors (social self) and the person’s self concept, thoughts, and feelings (true
self).
“subceived” threat - a feeling of anxiety, a sense that something is wrong without
knowing exactly what it is (we may be feeling incongruence).
ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES
The Q Sort technique - used by Rogers to assess change with therapy. Clients
sort about 100 adjective cards twice before and twice after therapy.
Client rates adjectives in terms of how descriptive the words are of their “current
self” and of their “ideal self.” The two sets of scores should correlate more highly
after than before therapy.
THEORY'S IMPLICATIONS FOR THEREAPY
“Person Centered Therapy” the therapist provides a genuine and accepting
relationship which the client can use for personal growth.
Therapy is “Nondirective”- in contrast to cognitive or behavioral therapists,
therapy is a joint effort. The “CLIENT” is an equal, the client MUST receive
“unconditional positive regard.”
Mrs. Oak - a famous cases study using a variation of the Q sort technique.
Declining
correlations (with baseline) over the course of therapy showed that she became
more "unlike" the person she described at baseline. The change was, however,
"small."
Researchers such as Eysenck have questioned the validity of the therapy
research done by humanists.
Roger’s views on education - reform is needed, it should be less coercive and
authoritarian.
He believed: students CAN be trusted to pursue their own goals, passive
learners do Not grow into creative people. Constant quizzes and examinations
detract from the educational process.
Roger’s views on marriage - in its present form, it is a failing institution. It should
be for each person enhancing the other, NOT rigid commitment.
Satellite relationships - relationships outside of marriage that may or may not
include sexual intimacy are OK with Rogers.
Evaluation:
Applied value - is strong in the areas of education, counseling, family
relationships, leadership, etc. Has had more impact on "counseling" than on
"psychology."