CARL ROGERS PYC2601
, THE SELF-CONCEPT THEORY OF
CARL ROGERS
BACKGROUND
• Humanistic - phenomenological school of thought.
• 3 Central assumptions of his personality theory:
→ Individual has constructive potential
→ Nature of the individual is basically goal-director
→ Individual is capable of changing.
• Self Concept - People’s subjective experience of themselves Very NB, &
influences the personality
• Individual = Central figure in the actualization of own potential
• Environment - plays facilitating or inhibiting role.
• Actualization → Happens in atmosphere of complete acceptance/ without
external restrictions.
• Influence of Rogers’ life experiences:
His father exposed him to scientific principles at an early age
Very narrow-minded, conservative home
Isolation & lack of close relationships
Very resisting towards any enforced prescriptions on the individual
VIEW OF THE PERSON
• Fundamental view = Humanistic-phenomenological
• Humanistic → Emphasize studying the individual as a whole
→ People play an active role in actualizing own potential
→ People can be trusted to follow a positive course to realize their
potential.
→ Person is architect of own life
→ Healthy people are aware of their own positive and negative
attributes
→ Constructive will triumph over destructive
→ Freedom and constructiveness of human nature.
→ Behavior is determined by choice.
• Environment → Rogers claims this only has facilitating or inhibiting role
BUT there are elements of determinism in the role he ascribes to, esp., social
environment.
, THE SELF-CONCEPT THEORY OF
CARL ROGERS
BACKGROUND
• Humanistic - phenomenological school of thought.
• 3 Central assumptions of his personality theory:
→ Individual has constructive potential
→ Nature of the individual is basically goal-director
→ Individual is capable of changing.
• Self Concept - People’s subjective experience of themselves Very NB, &
influences the personality
• Individual = Central figure in the actualization of own potential
• Environment - plays facilitating or inhibiting role.
• Actualization → Happens in atmosphere of complete acceptance/ without
external restrictions.
• Influence of Rogers’ life experiences:
His father exposed him to scientific principles at an early age
Very narrow-minded, conservative home
Isolation & lack of close relationships
Very resisting towards any enforced prescriptions on the individual
VIEW OF THE PERSON
• Fundamental view = Humanistic-phenomenological
• Humanistic → Emphasize studying the individual as a whole
→ People play an active role in actualizing own potential
→ People can be trusted to follow a positive course to realize their
potential.
→ Person is architect of own life
→ Healthy people are aware of their own positive and negative
attributes
→ Constructive will triumph over destructive
→ Freedom and constructiveness of human nature.
→ Behavior is determined by choice.
• Environment → Rogers claims this only has facilitating or inhibiting role
BUT there are elements of determinism in the role he ascribes to, esp., social
environment.
