Humanistic psychology is decidedly liberal and left leaning. As a liberating psychology, humanistic psychology is "inherently incompatible with right-wing ideologies that seek to impose rigid moral values and suppress civil liberties and individual freedom" (Elkins, 2009, p
Cultural Values in Humanistic Psychology Every discipline embraces particular values that reflect on the science or discipline itself, but that also reflect on the cultural context in which the discipline or science is primarily conducted. The full court press of positivism brought an objective, values-free paradigm to the forefront of research (Glazner & Hill, 2013)
With the current emphasis on individualizing therapeutic interventions juxtaposed against empirical science, there is an inherent tension with the "…more recent developments in the philosophy of science [that] reveal the impossibility of ever totally separating values from science" (Freidman & Robbins, 2012). Humanistic psychology embraces qualitative approaches, inviting "a 'feminine' version of existential psychology [that] really stresses the emphasis on depth, presence, and being" (Kass, 2014, p
But certain conditions are requisite for this reattachment of the disciplines -- most notably, multiculturalism. "The renewal of humanism is integral to multicultural practice, and multicultural practice is integral to the renewal of humanism" (Schneider & Langle, 2012, p
But certain conditions are requisite for this reattachment of the disciplines -- most notably, multiculturalism. "The renewal of humanism is integral to multicultural practice, and multicultural practice is integral to the renewal of humanism" (Schneider & Langle, 2012, p
Misconceptions about Human Nature Bugental (1963) stated that "A true psychology of human beings is a psychology of interdependent units" (p. 564) thus implying that mainstream psychologists view that human nature can be analyzed in the same way as other phenomena of nature (Bugental, 1963)
158). As a result, the clients learn to become passive because current practices encourage them to view their experiences as disorders that they cannot treat on their own (Leitner & Phillips, 2003)
2). This means that the behaviorists, in particular, and the Freudian psychologists have followed the approach of the natural sciences in understanding and analyzing human nature as opposed to the principles of humanistic philosophy (Maslow, 1969)
He stressed that romanticism does not aim to replace mainstream approaches but that "romanticism attempted to enlarge rationality" (p. 278), which means that romanticism in psychology can supplement the major scientific methodologies that have been incorporated into the field (Schneider, 1998)
Humanistic Psychology Critique of Mainstream Psychology Humanistic and transcendental perspectives of psychology have been making inroads into psychology to alter the assumptions and practices of mainstream psychology. The humanistic perspective highlights the primacy of human experiences in forming any assumptions and theories of the human mind whereas the transcendental perspective encourages psychologists to consider peak experiences and higher states of consciousness (Walsh & Vaughan, 1980, pp
Rogerian Therapy Carl Rogers (1902-2002) received popularity for the application of his viewpoint to the form of psychotherapy he established. His type of therapy referred to as client-centered therapy, was later named person-centered therapy (Carducci, 2009)
His experiences in Rochester led to description of his thinking. While working with a young boy with an impulse to set fires, Rogers noted that juvenile delinquency is traceable from unresolved sexual conflicts (Fernald, 2002)
The person-centered theory implies that a patient regardless of his/her problem can become better without teaching him/her anything special once the client respects and accepts her/himself. The History and Development of the Rogerian Therapy Rogers developed his Rogerian concept while working in Rochester Guidance Center (Kirschenbaum, 2004)
In the course of development of Rogerian theory, Rogers demonstrated that social learning is paramount in establishment of a good therapeutic environment. Through development of the Rogerian theory, Rogers ascertained that social transmission must be faithful enough, and requires clients to weed out their maladaptive culture through assessing their own conducts (Magnus, Kimmo & Stefano, 2007)
His establishment challenged the idea that therapists understand what is good for a patient. During 1950s, Rogers renamed and reframed his theory to reflect client's prominence, calling this approach client-centered therapy (Thyler & Dulmus, 2012)
This behavior impressed Rogers, as he understood how human will is powerful and how clients can resist the services of a most knowledgeable therapist when it fails to support their purposes. Rogers's concepts received further developments during his thirty-minute session with Gloria (Wickman & Campbell, 2003)
Now experiential therapists combine humanistic thought with a focus on deliberate openness, active acceptance, mindfulness, and psychological embracing of experience. Meditative procedures, body work, or experiential procedures, exemplify this kind of acceptance (Hayes, 1999, p
Humanistic psychology and phenomenology both employ a human science approach to psychology that seeks to explain behavior in terms of a person's subjective existence. Whereas natural science methodology rejects the possibility that moral imperatives can be validated, human science methodology allows phenomenological convictions to justify recommendations about a fulfilled life and a good society (Kendler, 2005, p
The value of different methodology offers people a wide choice in care, since individuals respond better to some approaches than others. Toward the middle of the 20th century, psychologists such as Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers and Anthony Sutich criticized the mainstream psychology schools for "providing a diminished model of human nature" (Moss, 2001, p
The value of different methodology offers people a wide choice in care, since individuals respond better to some approaches than others. Toward the middle of the 20th century, psychologists such as Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers and Anthony Sutich criticized the mainstream psychology schools for "providing a diminished model of human nature" (Moss, 2001, p