Humanistic/Phenomenological
Approaches to Personality
Phenomenal Field – the unique way that a
person perceives the world; subjective
experiences
Humanistic – recognizes inherent human
potential and tendency toward growth
“third force” (behind psychanalysis &
behaviorism)
Carl Rogers (1902-1987)
• Human behavior is
rational
• “man’s nature is
essentially positive”
• Free will
• Importance of the self
Structure of Personality
1. Self
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Primarily conscious
Develops gradually
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Ideal self/actual self
Process of personality
Actualization
1. Self-actualization
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Fully functioning individual
Way of functioning rather than a type of person
2. Need for positive regard
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need for acceptance, love, and approval from others
Unconditional positive regard
Conditions of worth
Positive self-regard
3. Incongruence/congruence (self-consistency)
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Causes anxiety
In-class assignment
Explain the relationship between conditional
positive regard and conditions of worth in
your own words. Explain why Rogers
often considered conditions of worth to be
unhealthy.
Eric Fromm: Love
• Allows us to find meaning in life
• Allow us to overcome isolation
• Need a fully developed personality
We often feel alienated. Try to have “have
fun” to fill void.
Need to re-connect with people, help others,
be loving.
Growth & Development
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Major developmental concern
Emphasis on parent-child relationships
Reflected appraisal
Personality can change (through
psychotherapy or loving relationships)
Coopersmith (1967)
Looked at origins of self-esteem
Three major factors:
1. Degree of acceptance
2. Permissiveness and punishment
3. Rights/respect for children
Dweck & Leggett, 1988; Dweck,
1991, 1999
• Entity (fixed) vs. incremental (malleable)
traits
• Performance goals vs. learning goals
• Child entity theorists: self-worth
• Child incremental theorists: self-worth
Assessment
• How to measure the self-concept??
• Q-sort technnique
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Large set of items
“I am intelligent”
“I often feel guilty”
“I am an impulsive person”
• Sort cards into piles of most like me and least
like me and other gradations
• Sort further
• Can compare ideal self to actual self
Assessment
Implici
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/t
Association Test
Assessment
Implicit Association Test
Implicit Association Test Link
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/d
emo/
Psychopathology and Behavior
Change
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Absence of congruity
Focus on conditions of worth
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Person centered therapy
1. Crucial condition: unconditional positive regard
2. Client-centered
3. Therapist must be
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Empathic
Congruent
Provide unconditional positive regard
4. Therapist is nondirective and nonevaluative
Person-centered therapy cont’
Techniques:
1. clarification of feelings
2. Restatement of content