The Humanistic School

John Ifeanyi Omeokwe

HSC 211: Developmental Psychology

Lecturer: Rev. Fr. Cornelius Anyanwu Ndidiamaka, (SDB), M. Ed.

January, 2021
 Table of Contents

The Humanistic School ......................................................................................................................... 1

1.0 Statement of Problem: What Gave Rise to the Humanistic School ..................................... 1
1.1 Definition ............................................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Origin ................................................................................................................................... 1
1.3 Main Focus and Basic Assumptions of Humanistic School ................................................ 2
1.4 Major Proponents ................................................................................................................. 3
1.5 Abraham Maslow (1908 – 1970) ......................................................................................... 3
1.5.1 Theories ............................................................................................................... 4
1.5.2 Hierarchy of Needs .............................................................................................. 4
1.5.3 Types of Needs ..................................................................................................... 5
1.5.4 Merits of Maslow Theories .................................................................................. 7
1.5.5 Demerits of Maslow Theories .............................................................................. 7
1.6 Carl Rogers (1902-1987) ..................................................................................................... 7
1.6.1 Theories ............................................................................................................... 8
1.6.2 Self-Concept: Ideal Self and Real Self ............................................................... 10
1.6.3 Congruence and Incongruence .......................................................................... 10
1.6.4 Unconditional Positive Regard .......................................................................... 11
1.6.5 Defences ............................................................................................................. 11
1.6.6 The Fully-functioning person ............................................................................. 11
1.6.7 Therapy .............................................................................................................. 12
1.6.8 Merits of Rogers’ Theories ................................................................................ 12
1.6.9 Demerits of Rogers’ Theories ............................................................................ 13
1.7 Merits of Humanistic School ............................................................................................. 13
1.8 Demerits of Humanistic School ......................................................................................... 13
1.9 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 13
Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................ 14

i
 The Humanistic School

1.0. Statement of Problem: What Gave Rise to the Humanistic School

The name ‘humanistic’ sounds like something that is more concerned on human beings than
any other being. Well, this thought is not far from it. Humanistic school is simply a movement
in psychology that humans are exceptional; thus, they should be properly acknowledged and
taken care of by psychologists and psychiatrists.1 Humanistic principles were granted legal
approval during the popular “human potential” movement, in the 1960’s.2 The humanistic
approach in psychology grew as an agitation against what some psychologists saw as the
drawbacks of the behaviourist and psychodynamic psychology. The humanistic approach is
also termed as the ‘third force’ in psychology.3

1.1. Definition
Humanistic school, also known as humanism, is a philosophy that emphasizes the prominence
of human factors. This school does not consider religious, spiritual and divine matters; it
highlights the importance of human values and dignity. Its sole responsibility is man. It is
founded on the notion that people have a moral responsibility to lead lives that are individually
accomplishing while promoting the greater good for all people.4

1.2. Origin
The Humanistic psychology was introduced as a reaction to the psychodynamic approach
proposed and the Behavioural approach. These two psychological approaches dominated early
20th Century. The behaviourist psychologists examine overt behaviour and deem that people
are conditioned by punishments and rewards to act in a precise way. Behaviourists seek to
influence human behaviour by utilizing appropriate reinforcements. On the other hand, the
school of psychoanalysis attempts to comprehend the unconscious motivations and interior
instincts that trigger behaviour. This notion was expanded by Sigmund Freud who considered
that people are creatures of life and death instincts. For the most part, life instincts comprise of

1. Patricia Bauer and others, “Humanistic Psychology,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, article published
May 27, 2020, accessed November, 18, 2020, https://www.britannica.com/science/humanistic-psychology.
2. Bauer, “Humanistic Psychology”.
3. Saul A. McLeod, “Humanistic Approach,” Simply Psychology, accessed November 18, 2020,
https://www.simplypsychology.org/humanistic.html.
4. Kendra Cherry, “What is Humanism”, Very Well Mind, Histories and Biographies, accessed
November 18, 2020, https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-humanistic-psychology-2795242.
1
survival and propagation; i.e., thirst, the drives of hunger, and sex fall under this classification.
Death instincts mirror humankind's pessimism.5 Humanist thinkers apprehended that
psychoanalysis and behaviourism were too negative, either focusing on the most terrible
emotions or flopping consider account the role of personal choice.6

There is also a common notion that the individualistic concept began as far back as the time of
Socrates. The second world war had a ripple effect in the field of psychology, as many returning
veterans encountered traumatic experiences that were not rooted in childhood experiences or
their behavioural patterns. This gave an urgent need for group therapies and counselling as an
approach to wrestle pressing needs.7

1.3. Main Focus and Basic Assumptions of Humanistic School

Humanism focuses on each individual's potential and emphasises the significance of self-
actualization and growth. The Humanists fundamentally belief that people are inherently good.
Thus, social and mental problems are as a result of deviations from this natural tendency.8
Humanistic psychology posits the assumption that people have and exercise freewill. This is
termed as personal agency, which basically refers to our life choices, and its consequences.
There is also this notion of self-actualization, which is concerned with the satisfaction,
fulfilment and psychological growth in life. For the humanists, people try to enhance
themselves the much that they can. They try to learn new things and improve themselves. This
is a key motivator for people.9 Humanism also seeks the betterment of communities and
societies. For humanistic psychologists, well-developed societies foster the personal well-
being of individuals. Because for every individual, there is need for social support.10

Humanistic psychologists’ postulate that a person’s subjective understanding of the world is

more essential than the objective reality. They support the relativistic view of the world as
personality is not studied objectively but studied relatively; i.e., from the point of view of the
individuals. Humanism also rejects scientific methodology, particularly the use of experiments,

5. “Origins and Evolution of Humanistic Psychology,” Suny Cortland, accessed November 17, 2020,
https://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/HUMAN/ORIGIN.HTML.
6. Cherry, “What is Humanism”.
7. Kain Ramsay, “The Origins of Humanistic Psychology,” Medium.com, published 18 April, 2019,
accessed November 17, 2020, https://medium.com/achology/the-origins-of-humanistic-psychology-
8e54f73a9e58
8. Cherry, “What is Humanism”.
9. McLeod, “Humanistic Approach”.
10. Cherry, “What is Humanism”.
2
qualitative research, use of psychology laboratory for investigating animal and human
behaviour, etc. According to the humanists, the best way to comprehend people is have a deep
conversation with them, such that they can be open to their feelings and share their experiences.
Additionally, humanism claims that the study of animals do not tell us anything about the
distinctive characteristics of human beings. Hence, humanism condemns comparative
psychology; holding the notion that human beings vary from other animals, since they are
conscious and capable of reason, thought and language.11

1.4. Major Proponents

The two main figures in humanistic psychology are Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow. For
them psychoanalysis emphasizes more on the pathologies present.12 Other Prominent humanist
thinkers are Erich Fromm and Rollo May. Carl Rogers is well known for his ‘Person-Centred’
approach, while Abraham Rogers proposed hierarchy of needs theory. These among others, are
the prominent thinkers in the field of humanistic psychology.13 The dominant theories of this
School of thought as it was proposed by Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers will be discussed
briefly.

1.5. Abraham Maslow (1908 – 1970)

Abraham Harold Maslow is an American Psychologist, who was born on the 1st of April,
1908;14 in New York. He grew up as the first of seven children that were born to his poor
Jewish parents, who were immigrants from Russia.15 Rose Maslow and Samuel Maslow were
his parents. For him, his mother was a kind of ‘anti-mother’, who never ceased to express her
hatred for Abraham. Most times, she criticised Abraham Maslow’s physical appearance,
describing him as ugly and skinny. He was also a victim of anti-Semitic thugs, all these factors
made his childhood to be lonely and unhappy.16 On the Brightside, this spurred him to spend
more time in the library, studying books.17 At the City College of New York, Maslow studied

11. McLeod, “Humanistic Approach”.

12. Ramsay, “The Origins of Humanistic Psychology”.
13. Cherry, “What is Humanism”.
14. Biography.com Editors, “Abraham Maslow Biography,” The Biography.com website, accessed
November 20, 2020, https://www.biography.com/scientist/abraham-maslow.
15. Kendra Cherry, “Biography of Abraham Maslow (1908-1970),” Very Well Mind.com, Published
16 March, 2020, https://www.verywellmind.com/biography-of-abraham-maslow-1908-1970-2795524.
16. " Abraham Maslow," Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Encyclopedia.com.
https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/medicine/psychology-and-psychiatry-biographies/abraham-h-maslow
17. Cherry, “Biography of Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)”.
3
law. Later on, he was developed interest in psychology.18 He had his psychological studies at
the University of Wisconsin and the New School for Social Research in New York City. He
wrote his doctoral thesis on the relation between sexual conduct and dominance hierarchies in
monkeys. He held the notion that primates exemplify a factual view of what was basically
human.19 After his doctoral studies, He became the head of the psychology department at
Brandeis University, in the year 1951; he remained there until 1969.20 While he was there, he
encountered Kurt Goldstein; and also began his campaign for a humanistic psychology. His
final years of semi-retirement was spent in California. On the 8th of June 1970, he died of heart
attack.21

1.5.1. Theories
Maslow became one of the founders and proponents of humanistic psychology in the 1950’s
as he helped to institute an alternative psychological approach. He postulated theories like:
peak experiences, hierarchy of needs and self-actualization. These theories became basic
subjects in the humanist movement.22 The main theory of Maslow that will be discussed in this
work is the Hierarchy of needs theory.

1.5.2. Hierarchy of Needs

In his early career, while Maslow was working with monkeys, he notices a very important
phenomenon. He discovered that some needs took primacy over others. For instance, if you are
thirsty and hungry, you will most certainly attend to your thirst need first, before that of food.
You can survive food deprivation for weeks, but you cannot survive water deprivation for
weeks. This same concept goes with the need of thirst vis a vis the need of sex; which one will
you attend to first? Probably the need of thirst as you can survive without sex, but you cannot
survive without water.23 From this notion, Maslow developed his Hierarchy of needs. This
theory was generally published in his 1943 paper “A Theory of Human Motivation” and his
subsequent book titled: “Motivation and Personality”. This hierarchy proposes that people are

18. Cherry, “Biography of Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)”.

19. "Abraham Maslow."
20. Adam Augustyn and others, “Abraham Maslow,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, accessed December
2, 2020, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Abraham-H-Maslow.
21. George C. Boeree, “Abraham Maslow,” accessed December 2, 2020,
https://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/maslow.html.
22. Cherry, “Biography of Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)”.
23. Boeree, “Abraham Maslow”.
4
motivated to attend to fundamental needs before moving on to other, more higher needs.24 Just
like scale of preference in economics, we go for the more pressing wants first, before others.
However, Maslow went beyond things in an average scale of preference like water, food,
clothes, etc; and established five broader layers of needs. They are: Physiological needs, Safety
and security needs, needs for love and belonging, needs for esteem and the need to actualize
the self. These needs are usually illustrated in a pyramid, like the one in the diagram below;

Image source: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4136760

1.5.3. Types of Needs

1. Physiological Needs: These are simple biological requirements that humans need for
survival. Requirements like: food, shelter, drink, warmth, etc. If these needs are not
met, the human body will be unable to function well. According to Maslow, these needs
are the starting point for motivation theory.25

24. Kendra Cherry, “The 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”, Very Well Mind, accessed
December 5, 2020, https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4136760.
25. Saul McLeod, “Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs”, Simply Psychology, accessed December 5, 2020,
https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
5
 2. Safety Needs: Maslow observed that people want order and control in their lives. This
prompts them to pursue some basic safety and security needs. Some examples of actions
that are motivated by these needs are: saving money in a bank, obtaining health
insurance and finding a good job.26 Basic safety needs include: Health and wellness,
financial security, and protection from theft and violence. They can be accomplished
by both the society and the family. Physiological and safety levels of the hierarchy form
the basic needs.27
3. Love and belonging needs: This level of human needs is social and it includes basic
human relationships like family bonds and friendships. For Maslow, we all need
emotional and physical intimacy in order for us to achieve a feeling of elevated kinship.
This intimacy ranges from sexual relationships to intimate emotional bonds.28 The need
of interpersonal relationships stimulates behaviour. Affiliating oneself or being part of
a social group is also typical to this level. Friendships, community groups, churches
and religious organizations, romantic attachments, etc all satisfy this need.29
4. Esteem needs: This is the need for respect and appreciation.30 For one who has gotten
to this point, it becomes important to acquire the appreciation and respect of others.
This need includes personal worth and self-esteem. Additionally, it captures the belief
that one is valuable and deserving of dignity. Maslow noted that self-esteem can be
categorized into two: esteem that is founded on one’s self-assessment, and esteem
which is founded on the acknowledgement and respect from others. The social needs
and the love/belonging needs form the psychological needs of the hierarchy.31
5. Self-Actualization Needs: This portrays the fulfilment of one’s full potentials as a
person. These needs are the highest in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.32 Maslow
explicitly defined this level of the hierarchy as the “full use and exploitation of talents,
capabilities, potentialities, etc. Such people seem to be fulfilling themselves and to be
doing the best that they are capable of doing. They are people who have developed or

26. Cherry, “The 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”.

27. “A Guide to the 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”, Master Class, accessed December 5,
2020, https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-the-5-levels-of-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs#what-are-
the-5-levels-of-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs.
28. “A Guide to the 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”.
29. McLeod, “Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs”.
30. Cherry, “The 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”.
31. “A Guide to the 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”.
32. “A Guide to the 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”.
6
 are developing to the full stature of which they are capable”.33 This level is the yearning
to accomplish everything that one can. The self-actualizers are spontaneous in thought
and action, highly creative, they have unusual sense of humour, concerned for the
welfare of humanity, and so on.34

1.5.4. Merits of Maslow Theories

1. His theory accounts for both intra-personal and inter-personal variations in human
behaviour.35
2. It helps the managers in comprehending how to motivate the employers.36
3. His theory has a natural appeal, in which it can be accepted and employed in a simple
way.37
4. It has a sensitive insight into the nature of man.38

1.5.5. Demerits of Maslow Theories

1. Most research have proved that the needs do not necessarily follow the postulated
hierarchy.39
2. Scientifically speaking, self-actualization is difficult to test.40
3. Between need and behaviour, there is a privation of direct cause and effect relationship;
such that a certain need may cause a different type of behaviour in varying individuals.41
4. There is only little evidential support for the phases of the hierarchy.42

1.6. Carl Rogers (1902-1987)

Carl Rogers was born on the 8th of January, 1902; in Oak Park, Illinois, US. He is the fourth
of six children. His father was a successful civil engineer, while his mother was a devout
Christian. He was so brilliant, such that he could read before kindergarten (i.e., before age 5);

33. Cherry, “The 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”.

34. McLeod, “Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs”.
35. “Maslow’s Theory of Motivation: Merits and Criticisms,” Your Article Library, accessed December
6, 2020, https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/employees/motivation-employees/maslows-theory-of-motivation-
merits-and-criticisms/75363.
36. “Maslow’s Theory of Motivation: Merits and Criticisms”.
37. K. S. Rao and others, “Limitations Of Maslow ’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory | Merits”, Business
Minds Today, June 1, 2017, accessed December 10, 2020, https://www.bmindstoday.com/limitations-of-
maslow-s-hierarchy-of-needs-theory-merits/.
38. “Limitations Of Maslow ’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory | Merits”.
39. Cherry, “The 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”.
40. Cherry, “The 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”.
41. “Maslow’s Theory of Motivation: Merits and Criticisms”.
42. “Limitations Of Maslow ’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory | Merits”.
7
hence he started his education in the Second Grade.43 At age 12, his family moved to a rural
farm area. This probably spurred him to enrol at the University of Wisconsin in order to study
agriculture. He began to probe his career choice and his religious views after he attended a
Christian conference in China. Later on, he changed his area of study, for History with plans
to become a minister. This occurred in the year 1922.44 In 1924, Rogers graduated from the
University of Wisconsin with a bachelor’s degree in History. He enrolled at the Union
Theological Seminary, New York City; while he was still a student there, he developed interest
in psychology and psychiatry. He later transferred to the Teachers College of Columbia
University in 1926 to pursue his Master’s degree. A student led seminar that was tagged ‘Why
am I entering the ministry’, spurred him to abandon theological studies and switch to the
clinical psychology program of Columbia University. He received his PhD in 1931. He partook
in the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Rochester, New York; in 1930, he later
was appointed as the director of the agency.45

After acquiring his doctorate, he spent some years working in academia, holding positions at
the University of Wisconsin, Ohio State University and the University of Chicago. He
developed his approach to therapy which he termed as ‘nondirective therapy’. This approach
was later termed as person-centered therapy.46 Rogers wrote 19 books and numerous articles.
He was elected President of the American Psychological Association in the year 1946. He later
died in the year 1987.47

1.6.1. Theories
Rogers highlights the fact that his entire theory is built on a single force of life which he termed
as the actualizing tendency. This can be defined as the “built-in motivation present in every
life-form to develop its potentials to the fullest extent possible.” 48 He expresses that organisms
know what is good for them, thus all organisms possess organismic valuing. Every person
wants to get what is best for them. No one wants to depreciate his or her value. In every person,

43. George C. Boeree, “Carl Rogers,” accessed December 10, 2020,

http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/rogers.html.
44. Kendra Cherry, “Carl Rogers Psychologist Biography,” Very Well Mind, accessed December 10,
2020, https://www.verywellmind.com/carl-rogers-biography-1902-1987-2795542.
45. Adam Augustyn and others, “Carl Rogers,” last modified January 4, 2021,
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carl-Rogers.
46. Cherry, “Carl Rogers Psychologist Biography”.
47. Cherry, “Carl Rogers Psychologist Biography”.
48. Boeree, “Carl Rogers”.
8
 49
there is a need to achieve self-actualization. Persons inherently value positive regard.
Furthermore, we all value positive self-regard. This refers to our self-esteem, self-image, self-
worth and so on. We achieve this positive self-regard by experiencing the positive regard that
is shown to us by others. Without this regard, we fail to be what we can be. According to
Rogers, one with a high self-worth faces challenges and failures, but with a positive attitude;
also, such person is open with people. On the other hand, a person with low self-worth may get
around challenges and failures, and also have defensive attitude towards others. Rogers
asserted that feelings of self-worth were formed at early childhood, whilst the child interacted
with his/her parents. Interactions with others will affect the feelings of self-worth as the child
grows older.50

Rogers believed that our society leads us astray with conditions of worth. Growing up, our
parents, peers, teachers and others, only give us what we need when we prove our worthiness.
For instance, we get love and affection whenever we behave well; but if we fail to do so, we
get the opposite. Hence most times, we get positive regard on condition. Rogers calls this,
Conditional positive regard. Along the line, as we begin to like ourselves only if we meet up
with the standards that others have set for us; this generates to conditional positive self-regard.
According to Rogers, this is unhealthy for us. It makes us to bend ourselves to try to meet up
to standards; rather than actualizing our potentials. Unfortunately, sometimes we are unable to
meet up to these standards and this makes us to lose our self-esteem.51

49. Rogers used this term to refer to things like love, affection, attention, nurturance, etc.
50. Saul McLeod, “Carl Rogers,” Simply Psychology, accessed January 05, 2020,
https://www.simplypsychology.org/carl-rogers.html.
51. Boeree, “Carl Rogers”.
9
 Image Source: http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/rogers.html

1.6.2. Self-Concept: Ideal Self and Real Self

Rogers expressed that self-concept commenced development during childhood. The parents
played a key role in this. Kids who experienced unconditional love and regard are more likely
to have a healthy self-concept. Whereas, kids who feel that they have to ‘earn’ their parents
love, the reverse is the case.52 Rogers divided the self into two categories: the real self and the
ideal self. The real self is the person who you actually are; while the ideal self is the person
who you would like to be. The ideal self consists of our ambitions and goals in life. It is dynamic
– i.e., it’s always in a state of flux. For instance, the ideal self in childhood is not the same as
the ideal self in adulthood.53

1.6.3. Congruence and Incongruence

In order for us to attain our respective ideal selves, we need consistency. The self-concept is
accurate, when the person’s thoughts about the real self and the ideal self are similar. Rogers
termed this phenomenon as congruence. High congruence leads to a greater self-worth,
productive and healthy life. But when there is a great inconsistency between the ideal self and
real self, chaos sets in. Rogers termed this as incongruence. The gap between the real self (I
am) and the ideal self (I should) is called, incongruity. The incongruity is what Rogers means

52. Cherry, “Carl Rogers Psychologist Biography”.

53. McLeod, “Carl Rogers”.
10
by neurosis. The greater the gap, the more incongruity. For Rogers, the formation of a healthy
self-concept is very important.54

1.6.4. Unconditional Positive Regard

Rogers expressed that when people are raised in an environment of conditional positive regard,
their ideal self is determined by others, based on certain conditions. Hence, they are forced to
develop outside of their own right actualizing tendency. This causes more incongruity. On the
other hand, when people are raised in an environment of unconditional positive regard, they
have the opportunity to fully actualize. Rogers believed that in order for people to grow and
fulfil their potential, it is necessary that they are valued as themselves. He further asserted that
the therapist should accept the person as they are without condemning their actions. 55 For
Rogers, by getting unconditional positive regard and pursuing self-actualization, people can
come close to attaining a state of congruence.56 He also affirmed that for a person to achieve
self-actualization, he/she must be in a state of congruence.57

1.6.5. Defences
This occurs when a person is in threatening situation as a result of incongruity between one’s
ideal self and real self. Anxiety sets in. In order for one to avoid the threatening situation, one
runs away from it psychologically by using defences.58 Rogers postulates two defences: denial
and perceptual distortion. Denial occurs when the agent represses an impulse or a memory, out
of one’s awareness. In this case, the agent is trying to block out the threatening situation.59
Perceptual distortion on the other hand, occurs when the agent tries to reinterpret threatening
situation, such that it appears less threatening to the agent.60 According to Rogers, anytime a
person uses a defence, he/she distances himself/herself from the ideal self.61

1.6.6. The Fully-functioning person

For Rogers, the fully-function person is one who is alive and absolutely congruent. People who
receive non-judgmental support and love can build up the confidence and self-esteem to be the

54. Boeree, “Carl Rogers”.

55. Saul McLeod, “Person Centred Therapy,” Simply Psychology, accessed December 11, 2020,
https://www.simplypsychology.org/client-centred-therapy.html.
56. Cherry, “Carl Rogers Psychologist Biography”.
57. McLeod, “Carl Rogers”.
58. Boeree, “Carl Rogers”.
59. Boeree, “Carl Rogers”.
60. Boeree, “Carl Rogers”.
61. Boeree, “Carl Rogers”.
11
best version of themselves.62 After explaining the life in terms of principles, he also expressed
that such kind of person would fulfil his or her potential in each of these processes; thus
attaining “the good life”.63 He enumerated some basic features of a fully-functioning person;
they include: openness to experience, experiential freedom, unconditional regard for the self,
etc.64

1.6.7. Therapy
Carl Rogers is well-known for his contributions in therapy. He invented a new way to perform
therapy, he called it Person-Centred Therapy. This is also known as Rogerian Therapy, or non-
directive therapy.65 In his own words: “It is the client who knows what hurts, what directions
to go, what problems are crucial, what experiences have been deeply buried. It began to occur
to me that unless I had a need to demonstrate my own cleverness and learning, I would do
better to rely upon the client for the direction of movement in the process.”66 He believed that
every person is unique, thus everyone should be the primary focus of the therapeutic process
and not the other way around. Rogers also postulated three necessary and sufficient
requirements of the therapist:

• Congruence: the therapist must be honest with the client.

• Empathy: the therapist should put himself / herself in the client’s shoes.
• Respect: the therapist should accept the client and show an unconditional positive
regard towards him/her.67

1.6.8. Merits of Rogers’ Theories

• His theories brought back psychology towards the analysis of the self.68
• The client is not judged or analysed.
• His therapeutic processes encourage independence.

62. Cherry, “Carl Rogers Psychologist Biography”.

63. “Humanistic Perspectives on Personality,” Lumen Learning.com, accessed December 12, 2020,
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-psychology/chapter/humanistic-perspectives-on-personality/.
64. Cherry, “Carl Rogers Psychologist Biography”.
65. Boeree, “Carl Rogers”.
66. Courtney E. Ackerman, “10 Person-Centred Therapy Techniques Inspired by Carl Rogers”,
Positive Psychology.com, accessed December 28, 2020, https://positivepsychology.com/client-centered-
therapy/.
67. Boeree, “Carl Rogers”.
68. McLeod, “Humanistic Approach”.
12
 • There is empathy and understanding between the client and the therapist.69

1.6.9. Demerits of Rogers’ Theories

• Absence of empirical evidence used in research.
• Theories are too subjective.70

1.7. Merits of Humanistic School

• It offered a new approach to comprehending human behaviours and motivations.
• It emphasizes the role of the individual and it offers a positive view of humans.71
• It made therapy more acceptable for normal, healthy individuals.72
• It rejected comparative psychology; for the humanists, humans and animals basically
vary.73

1.8. Demerits of Humanistic School

• It is too subjective.
• Observations are not verifiable.74
• Little value is placed on the scientific psychology.75

1.9. Conclusion
The Humanistic School have been of great help to the field of psychology. The positive
approach to humans, makes it stand out; proposing the notion that humans are inherently good.
Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs helps us to understand that, in our world of unlimited
needs, there seems to be an order in which we place our needs; consciously or unconsciously.
Although this hierarchy may not be strictly followed by all, it still gives us a sense of how we
strive for one thing more than the other. Carl Rogers’ theory of the self is so rich. And his
approach to therapy is so amazing. These two great men played key roles in the development
of humanistic psychology. In one way or the other, they made this school of thought to be what
it is today.

69. Jessica Anderson, “What Are The Advantages Of Client-Centred Therapy?,” Regain.us, accessed
December 28, 2020, https://www.regain.us/advice/therapist/what-are-the-advantages-of-client-centered-therapy/
70. “Humanistic Perspectives on Personality”.
71. McLeod, “Humanistic Approach”.
72. Cherry, “What is Humanism”.
73. McLeod, “Humanistic Approach”.
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