Humanistic/Phenomenological

Approaches to Personality
Phenomenal Field the unique way that a
person perceives the world; subjective
experiences

Humanistic recognizes inherent human
potential and tendency toward growth

third force (behind psychanalysis &
behaviorism)
Carl Rogers (1902-1987)
Human behavior is
rational

mans nature is
essentially positive

Free will

Importance of the self
Structure of Personality
1. Self
Primarily conscious
Develops gradually

Ideal self/actual self
Process of personality
Actualization
1. Self-actualization
Fully functioning individual
Way of functioning rather than a type of person
2. Need for positive regard
need for acceptance, love, and approval from others
Unconditional positive regard
Conditions of worth
Positive self-regard
3. Incongruence/congruence (self-consistency)
Causes anxiety
In-class assignment
Explain the relationship between conditional
positive regard and conditions of worth in
your own words. Explain why Rogers
often considered conditions of worth to be
unhealthy.
Eric Fromm: Love
Allows us to find meaning in life
Allow us to overcome isolation
Need a fully developed personality

We often feel alienated. Try to have have
fun to fill void.
Need to re-connect with people, help others,
be loving.
Growth & Development
Major developmental concern
Emphasis on parent-child relationships
Reflected appraisal
Personality can change (through
psychotherapy or loving relationships)
Coopersmith (1967)
Looked at origins of self-esteem

Three major factors:
1. Degree of acceptance
2. Permissiveness and punishment
3. Rights/respect for children
Dweck & Leggett, 1988; Dweck,
1991, 1999
Entity (fixed) vs. incremental (malleable)
traits

Performance goals vs. learning goals

Child entity theorists: self-worth
Child incremental theorists: self-worth
Assessment
How to measure the self-concept??

Q-sort technnique
Large set of items
I am intelligent
I often feel guilty
I am an impulsive person
Sort cards into piles of most like me and least
like me and other gradations
Sort further
Can compare ideal self to actual self

Assessment
Implici
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/t
Association Test

Assessment
Implicit Association Test

Implicit Association Test Link

https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/d
emo/
Psychopathology and Behavior
Change
Absence of congruity
Focus on conditions of worth

Person centered therapy
1. Crucial condition: unconditional positive regard
2. Client-centered
3. Therapist must be
Empathic
Congruent
Provide unconditional positive regard
4. Therapist is nondirective and nonevaluative
Person-centered therapy cont
Techniques:
1. clarification of feelings
2. Restatement of content