The Humanistic Approach in psychology started in the middle of the 20th century. It emerged because some psychologists wanted to challenge the ideas that were popular at the time, mainly behaviorism and psychoanalysis.
Behaviorism mainly looked at what people do, or their observable behaviors. It believed that thoughts and feelings didn't really matter. For example, a behaviorist might focus on how a person reacts to a test instead of what they feel about studying for it.
However, many psychologists, like Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow, thought this way of thinking missed important parts of what it means to be human. They believed in looking at the complete picture, which includes personal growth and reaching one’s potential. Because of this, humanistic psychology is often called the "third force" in psychology, coming after behaviorism and psychoanalysis.
Here are some key features of the Humanistic Approach:
For example, while a behaviorist might just look at a student's grades, a humanistic psychologist would dig deeper. They would want to understand what motivates the student, how they feel about school, and what dreams they have for their future.
This shift toward valuing personal experiences shows how important empathy and understanding are in helping people through therapy.
The Humanistic Approach in psychology started in the middle of the 20th century. It emerged because some psychologists wanted to challenge the ideas that were popular at the time, mainly behaviorism and psychoanalysis.
Behaviorism mainly looked at what people do, or their observable behaviors. It believed that thoughts and feelings didn't really matter. For example, a behaviorist might focus on how a person reacts to a test instead of what they feel about studying for it.
However, many psychologists, like Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow, thought this way of thinking missed important parts of what it means to be human. They believed in looking at the complete picture, which includes personal growth and reaching one’s potential. Because of this, humanistic psychology is often called the "third force" in psychology, coming after behaviorism and psychoanalysis.
Here are some key features of the Humanistic Approach:
For example, while a behaviorist might just look at a student's grades, a humanistic psychologist would dig deeper. They would want to understand what motivates the student, how they feel about school, and what dreams they have for their future.
This shift toward valuing personal experiences shows how important empathy and understanding are in helping people through therapy.