Humanistic Approach

• Free will:
  • Human beings are essentially self determining and have free will. 
  • Can be affected by external or interna influences but humans are active agents who have the ability to determine their own development. 

• Self-actualisation:
  • Everyone has an innate tendancy to achieve their full potential. Self-actualisation is the uppermost level in Maslow's hiearchy of needs. 
  • All 4 lower levels must be met before the individual can work their way towards self-actualisation and fulfil their potential. 
  • Personal growth is an essential part of being human. There are important psychological barriers that perevnt a person from reaching their full potential.
  • Personal growth = developing and changing as a person to become fulfilled, satisfied and goal orientated. 

• Maslow's hiearchy of needs:

Self-actualisation

Self-esteem

Love and Belongingness

Safety and Security

Physiological needs

• The self, congruence and conditions of worth:
  • For personal growth to be achieved, a person's concept of the way they see themselves must be broadly equivalent to their ideal self (the person they want to be).
  • If too big a gap exists between the two selves then the person will experience a state of incongruence and self-actualisation will not be…