HUMANISTIC THEORY OF PERSONALITY

The Humanistic Approach began in response to concerns by therapists against perceived limitations of Psychodynamic theories, especially psychoanalysis. Individuals like Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow felt existing (psychodynamic) theories failed to adequately address issues like the meaning of behavior, and the nature of healthy growth. However, the result was not simply new variations on psychodynamic theory, but rather a fundamentally new approach. 

Maslow (1970, 1987) - Hierarchy of Needs

Abraham Maslow began his psychological research studying basic motivations of animals, but then shifted his focus to the higher motivations of human beings.  Abraham Maslow, like Rogers, focussed on the positive. He was interested in the qualities of people who get the most out of life. He was interested in what motivates them (but his view of motivation was very different from what we looked at in the dispositional perspective).

Hierarchy of Needs

He viewed human needs or motives as forming a hierarchy :

1. PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS: At the bottom are the basic, primitive needs for air, food, water - those things we HAVE to have to survive

2. SAFETY AND PHYSICAL SECURITY NEEDS: shelter from weather, protection against tigers etc. Very important but not QUITE as important as the physiological needs. 

3. LOVE AND BELONGINGNESS NEEDS: Companionship, acceptance from others (like Rogers positive regard), affection.

4. ESTEEM NEEDS: needs for a sense of mastery and power. Need for appreciation from others. 

5. SELF ACTUALIZATION: similar use of the term to the way Rogers used it.The tendency to become whatever you're capable of becoming: The highest of human motives. In trying to describe the process of self-actualization, Maslow focused on moments when self actualization was clearly occurring. Maslow used the term peak experiences to refer to moments of intense self-actualization.  At these moments people feel connected to their surroundings and aware of all the sounds and colours around them. There is a loss of a sense of time as the experience flows around you. You may feel awe, wonder or even ecstasy. This is similar to what Csikszentmihalyi (chick-sent-me-high) calls flow but he sees it not so much as joy or ecstasy but rather as a period of intense concentration, with a slightly elevated mood when time flows by very quickly.

Motives WEAKEN as go from the more primitive to the higher needs (up the pyramid).  In general you need to deal with lower level needs before you can move onto other needs.

Maslow: Self-Actualizing People

Characteristics of self-actualized people according to Maslow (1968):

• efficient and accurate in perceiving reality
• are accepting of themselves, of other people and of nature
• are spontaneous in thought and emotion, rather than artificial
• are problem-centred - are concerned with the eternal philosophical questions of humankind
• are independent and autonomous
• have a continued freshness of appreciation of ordinary events
• often experience oceanic feelings that is a sense of oneness with nature
• identify with all of humanity and are democratic and respectful of others
• form very deep ties but only with a few people
• appreciate for its own sake the process of doing things
• have a philosophical, thoughtful, non-hostile sense of humour
• have a childlike and fresh creativity and inventiveness
• maintain an inner detachment from the culture in which they live
• may appear temperamental or ruthless as they are strong and independent people guided by their own inner visions
  

Studies have shown that only approximately 1% of people self-actualize. Most others live between ove and belongingness needs and self-esteem needs. Self-actualization is of course the weakest of needs, and is easily impeded. Some people have a fear of self-knowledge & entering into state of uncertainty. Sometimes cultural norms stifle us e.g. manly. Many people feel the need for a balance between safety and freedom.