Psych 213- Chapter 2
Part Four- Person orientated approaches
I. READ THE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE BEFORE DOING THE EXAM (PAGE 324)
II. The individual as a digni ed human being
A. Here, humans are unique beings with qualities that distinguish them from lifeless
objects like stones and trees and also from animals
B. There is an acknowledgement of a higher psychological dimensioned this is
important
1. So that we can study these qualities like human will, creativity etc.
III. The conscious processes of the individual
A. Person-orientated theorists recognise the role of conscious processes, especially
conscious decision making processes
B. Do not deny that unconscious processes play a part and do acknowledge them in
unhealthy functioning
C. Concentrate on the individual’s conscious experiencing and his or her evaluation
of it
IV. The person as an active being
A. The person does not simple react to external environmental stimuli or merely
submit to inherent drives over which he or she has no control
B. They acknowledge individuals’ active participation in determining their one
behaviour, their inherent inclination towards actualising their potential and their
creative ability
C. Theorists are not concerned with identifying internal or external causative factors
whereby human behaviour may be manipulated and changed
1. More interested with the person’s own contributions to growth and realising
their potential
D. This means freedom in choice and that the person is responsible for the course of
the individual’s own life
E. Some theorists strongly emphasise the role of the person as a “free agent” who
determines his or her one behaviour
1. At the same time, they acknowledge the importance of genetic and
environmental factors
F. Maslow, highlights the importance of environmental factors for the satisfaction of
basic needs
G. Rogers refers to the importance of genetic potential
V. Emphasis on psychological health
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, A. Asserts that psychologically healthy persons should be the criterion in examining
human functioning and not the neurotic or psychotic
VI. The individual as an integrated whole
A. Each individual should be studied as an integrated, unique, organised whole or
Gestalt
B. Theorists have revived these ideas essentially in reaction to the following
approaches
1. Dualism
a) Studied body and spirit as separate entities
2. Behaviourism
a) Divided the individual into fragments of behaviour in the form of stimuli and
responses
3. Reductionism
a) Attempted to explain behaviour by means of a few simple underlying
elements, as in psychoanalysis where all forms or behaviour were ascribed
to the functioning of the id drives
C. Maslow
1. Developed humanistic psychology in response in reaction to psychoanalysis
and behaviourism
D. Rogers’ theory
1. Is also representative of humanistic psychology
2. This is a process of realising a potential that resides in the self and not an
impulse towards something higher than the self
E. Humanistic psychology
1. Responsible person who chooses freely between available possibilities
2. Present humans as beings with worth and dignity who, as a whole, integrated
persons, actively and consciously strive towards the actualisation of their
potential
F. Frankl
1. Existentialist approach
a) Underlines the higher spiritual dimensions
b) Not just the search for meaning in what lies outside the self that is important
but also the human ability to transcend and nd meaning and purpose in
even the most desperate of circumstances
c) Sees humans as worthy, digni ed beings and assigns an important role to
them as free, active agents who are able to conscious decisions about their
behaviour and also about the attitude they adopt towards their
circumstances
fi fi
Part Four- Person orientated approaches
I. READ THE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE BEFORE DOING THE EXAM (PAGE 324)
II. The individual as a digni ed human being
A. Here, humans are unique beings with qualities that distinguish them from lifeless
objects like stones and trees and also from animals
B. There is an acknowledgement of a higher psychological dimensioned this is
important
1. So that we can study these qualities like human will, creativity etc.
III. The conscious processes of the individual
A. Person-orientated theorists recognise the role of conscious processes, especially
conscious decision making processes
B. Do not deny that unconscious processes play a part and do acknowledge them in
unhealthy functioning
C. Concentrate on the individual’s conscious experiencing and his or her evaluation
of it
IV. The person as an active being
A. The person does not simple react to external environmental stimuli or merely
submit to inherent drives over which he or she has no control
B. They acknowledge individuals’ active participation in determining their one
behaviour, their inherent inclination towards actualising their potential and their
creative ability
C. Theorists are not concerned with identifying internal or external causative factors
whereby human behaviour may be manipulated and changed
1. More interested with the person’s own contributions to growth and realising
their potential
D. This means freedom in choice and that the person is responsible for the course of
the individual’s own life
E. Some theorists strongly emphasise the role of the person as a “free agent” who
determines his or her one behaviour
1. At the same time, they acknowledge the importance of genetic and
environmental factors
F. Maslow, highlights the importance of environmental factors for the satisfaction of
basic needs
G. Rogers refers to the importance of genetic potential
V. Emphasis on psychological health
fi
, A. Asserts that psychologically healthy persons should be the criterion in examining
human functioning and not the neurotic or psychotic
VI. The individual as an integrated whole
A. Each individual should be studied as an integrated, unique, organised whole or
Gestalt
B. Theorists have revived these ideas essentially in reaction to the following
approaches
1. Dualism
a) Studied body and spirit as separate entities
2. Behaviourism
a) Divided the individual into fragments of behaviour in the form of stimuli and
responses
3. Reductionism
a) Attempted to explain behaviour by means of a few simple underlying
elements, as in psychoanalysis where all forms or behaviour were ascribed
to the functioning of the id drives
C. Maslow
1. Developed humanistic psychology in response in reaction to psychoanalysis
and behaviourism
D. Rogers’ theory
1. Is also representative of humanistic psychology
2. This is a process of realising a potential that resides in the self and not an
impulse towards something higher than the self
E. Humanistic psychology
1. Responsible person who chooses freely between available possibilities
2. Present humans as beings with worth and dignity who, as a whole, integrated
persons, actively and consciously strive towards the actualisation of their
potential
F. Frankl
1. Existentialist approach
a) Underlines the higher spiritual dimensions
b) Not just the search for meaning in what lies outside the self that is important
but also the human ability to transcend and nd meaning and purpose in
even the most desperate of circumstances
c) Sees humans as worthy, digni ed beings and assigns an important role to
them as free, active agents who are able to conscious decisions about their
behaviour and also about the attitude they adopt towards their
circumstances
fi fi
