Humanistic Psychology

Psychological Approaches – The Humanistic Approach

In this course, Dr Cathal O’Siochru (Liverpool Hope University) explores the humanistic approach to psychology. In the first lecture, we think about the origin of humanistic psychology, as a response to behaviourism and psychoanalysis. In the second lecture, we think about the theories of Abraham Maslow and his hierarchy of needs. In the third lecture, we think about how self-actualisation acts as a goal for people to strive towards. Next, we think about Rogerian theories, of Carl Rogers, including his idea of unconditional positive regard. In the fifth and final lecture, we think about the client- or student-centred approach to therapy and teaching respectively.

Trigger warning // School shootings (module 2).

Humanistic Psychology

In this lecture, we think about the origin of the humanistic approach, focusing in particular on: (i) the three ‘waves’ in psychology as behaviourist, psychoanalytic and humanistic psychology; (ii) the tendency for humanistic psychology to focus on the positive aspects of the individual and their behaviour; (iii) the paradigm model of science, which states that a current, potentially imperfect, theory is superseded by a new paradigm which is created by a splintered group of researchers; (iv) Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers as key figures in the emergence of the humanistic approach; (v) the key differences between the humanistic approach and the first two ‘waves’, including the focus on neuroses and negative events by the previous approaches, as well as the nature of the previous approaches to present people as passive in their environment.