Carl Rogers Theory's

Carl Rogers was a humanistic psychologist who believed that all people have an innate
tendency to actualize themselves, or to reach their full potential. He also believed that
positive self-regard is essential for psychological well-being. Positive self-regard is
the belief that one is worthy of love and respect, regardless of one's behavior or
accomplishments.

Rogers believed that positive self-regard is developed in childhood through the

experience of unconditional positive regard from one's parents or caregivers. When a
child feels loved and accepted unconditionally, they learn to value and respect
themselves. However, if a child experiences conditional positive regard, or love and
acceptance that is based on certain conditions, they may develop a negative self-image
and feel unworthy of love and respect.

Rogers believed that positive self-regard is essential for psychological well-being

because it allows people to be themselves and to express their true feelings and
thoughts. It also allows people to take risks, to learn from their mistakes, and to
grow and develop.

Here is a quote from Carl Rogers on positive self-regard:

"The basic need of the child is to be loved and wanted unconditionally. This means that,
ideally, he should feel loved and accepted just as he is, without having to earn his love
or acceptance. If he feels this basic acceptance, he can then go on to explore his
feelings and attitudes and to experiment with different behaviors without fear of losing
love."

How do Carl Rogers' and Abraham Maslow's theories differ?

The humanistic psychologist Rogers, was a supporter of the founder of positive
psychology, Abraham Maslow's humanistic theory of personality. One of the eminent
psychologists and a positive psychology expert Abraham Samuel Maslow believed that
people gain their full potential by shifting from fundamental needs towards self-
actualization. However, Roger's personality theory added that people in their daily lives
need an environment with empathy, acceptance and genuineness to grow. According to
Carl Rogers, a person attains the level of self-actualization when they accomplish their
desires, wishes and goals, at each stage of their life.

The main difference between both the eminent psychologists' Rogers and
Abraham Samuel Maslow is in their humanistic theories of self-actualization. Abraham
Samuel Maslow recognizes the functioning of a person in one's own self, but Rogers
highlights the need for the environment.

Citation:

Rogers, C. R. (1959). On becoming a person: A therapist's view of psychotherapy.

Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
 Additional information

Carl Rogers' theory of personality and psychotherapy is known as person-centered

therapy. It is based on the belief that people have the capacity to solve their own
problems and to grow and develop in a positive direction if they are provided with a
supportive and accepting environment.

Person-centered therapy is a non-directive approach, which means that the therapist

does not tell the client what to do or how to think. Instead, the therapist provides the
client with a safe and supportive space to explore their thoughts, feelings, and
experiences. The therapist also reflects back to the client what they are hearing in order
to help the client to better understand themselves.

Person-centered therapy has been shown to be effective for a variety of mental health
problems, including anxiety, depression, and relationship problems. It is also used to
help people to develop their personal potential and to live more fulfilling lives.

What is the perspective of Carl Rogers on the real self vs the ideal self?

According to Rogers self is divided into 2 categories; real and ideal self. The real self
indicates what someone is in real life, and ideal self is what someone wants to become
in his life. In real life, people’s ideal self is not consistent with what happens in real life.

Exploring Rogers Self Concept

Self Concept is the belief we hold about ourselves. We believe who we are based on
our past experiences, our current circumstances, and our future expectations. Self
Concept is not static; it changes over time.

We change our Self Concept when we experience events that affect us emotionally.
Carl Rogers believed that Self Concept was influenced by three factors:

1) Our parents' attitudes toward us (our early environment).

The way our parents treated us in childhood had a significant impact on our self-
concept. If our parents were loving and supportive, we were more likely to develop a
positive self-image. However, if our parents critical or rejecting, we were more likely to
develop a negative self-image.

2) The beliefs we hold about ourselves (our internal world).

Our self-concept is also influenced by our own thoughts and beliefs about ourselves.
These thoughts and beliefs about ourselves. These thoughts and beliefs about
ourselves. These thoughts and beliefs can be based on our experiences, our
perceptions of ourselves, and our values. For example, if we believe that we are
intelligent and capable, we are more likely to have a positive self-image. However if we
believe that we are stupid and incompetent, we are more likely to have a negative self-
image.

3) Our perceptions of others (the external world).

Our self-concept is also influenced by the way we perceive others. For example, if we
believe the way are liked and respected by others, we are more likely to have a
negative self-image.

Carl Rogers developed his theory of Self Concept through his work with patients
suffering from emotional disorders. He found that many of these patients had negative
feelings about themselves because they held inaccurate beliefs about themselves.
These beliefs were often reinforced by their parents.

What is Roger's Unconditional positive regard?

The Humanistic psychology expert, Rogers' Unconditional positive regard indicates the
attitude of love and complete acceptance, whether for one's own self or for another
person. When a person has unconditional positive regard for the other person, nothing
the other person can do could give them a reason to stop considering them as
inherently lovable and inherently human. This does not indicate that people will accept
all the acts of that person, but that they accept who that person is at a much deeper
level than the surface level.

Rogers' unconditional positive regard is an important concept in positive psychology and

the growth model of therapy. It is also a significant contribution of therapists who use a
humanistic approach in counseling.

The therapeutic personality is seen as a key factor in the success of therapy, and
unconditional positive regard is one of the factors of empathy that contribute to a
positive therapeutic relationship. In fact, Rogers believed that the therapist's
unconditional positive regard for their client was more important than any specific
technique or intervention.

Unconditional positive regard allows the client to feel accepted and valued, even in the
face of difficult or uncomfortable feelings. It creates a safe space for the client to explore
their thoughts and emotions without fear of judgment or rejection.

In practice, unconditional positive regard requires the therapist to cultivate a non-

judgmental attitude and to genuinely value and accept their client as a human being.
This can be challenging, especially when the client's behavior or attitudes may be
contrary to the therapist's personal values or beliefs.

Despite its challenges, unconditional positive regard remains a cornerstone of

humanistic therapy and an important factor in promoting personal growth and positive
change. It has made a significant impact on the field of counseling and continues to be
a valuable contribution to the helping professions.

Who is the fully functioning person?

Rogers describes a fully functioning person as someone with the following criteria:

•a growing openness to experience,

•an increasing existential lifestyle,

•increasing organismic trust,

•freedom of choice,

•creativity,

•reliability and constructiveness; and

•living a rich, full life.

According to Rogers, a humanistic approach to becoming a fully functioning person

would be living "the good life" in the above criteria. Let's explore what he meant:

1. A growing openness to experience

Rogers described this as accepting someone's life experiences without getting

defensive or feeling psychological distress for being psychologically or emotionally
attacked.

2. An increasingly existential lifestyle

It indicates not enabling past experiences to change a person's response. An

increasingly existential lifestyle in the field of Psychology indicates relishing the
moment. For instance, a person enjoys driving so a car accident would not stop him
from driving. The person will continue to enjoy driving through implementing the
principle of an increasingly existential lifestyle.

3. Increasing organismic trust

Carl Rogers states that increasing organismic trust occurs when the client demonstrates
the self-trust to make correct choices in various social situations. Rogers' theory also
suggested that the client would take up a suitable moral compass and have a code of
ethics to take these decisions.

4. Freedom of choice

Carl Rogers humanistic theory about freedom of choice proposed that Roger's clients
could understand how to respond to situations. Freedom of choice indicates that
people's reactions are in control, practising the appropriate emotional intelligence.
Freedom of choice is also governed by the client's individual moral code. Freedom of
choice also means that the client takes responsibility for his conduct.

5. Creativity

Carl Rogers described creativity as the knowledge to adapt to a situation appropriately.

Rogers gives the example of a teacher who is introverted but decides to become
extroverted in her instructions. This creativity and adaptation would not make any
substantial changes in the teacher's personality but allows him to adapt to the situation
in a creative manner.

6. Reliability and constructiveness

According to Carl Rogers' theory of personality about reliability and constructiveness,

people might achieve a balance between their real self and ideal self. Self-worth is an
additional element of this balance. An increased level of congruence is needed between
the self-worth, real self, and ideal self. A person with an increased level of self-worth
values himself and can be gracious while getting a compliment. This person may also
accept and relish the compliment with a greater degree of self-worth. To achieve
congruence between the real self and the ideal self, a person needs to practice with the
real self on daily basis to collide with the ideal self in the future. An example of an ideal
self would be a person who enjoys driving a car on the snow using promising all-
weather tires giving more grip in the future. But, to achieve congruence with the real
self, the real self will ensure to buy all-weather tires, before the first snowfall. Hence, the
real self will ultimately collide with the ideal self at the time of the first heavy snowfall.
7. Living a rich, full life

Carl Rogers suggests that a fully-functioning person experiences pain and joy,
heartbreak and love and, courage and fear more intensely. In other words, a rich, full life
includes intense experiences of the negative and positive aspects of everyday life. For
instance, a person who performs better at work, while living a rich, full life with sufficient
conditions might be more inclined to receive praise from the boss. The same employee
with sufficient conditions in life would also feel more psychological distress at the time of
losing his employment or breaking up with a friend as compared to a person who has
never experienced a rich, full life.

What is Carl Rogers' approach to education?

In Client-Centered Therapy, Carl Rogers explained the approach to education and in

1969 composed Freedom to Learn on this subject. Rogers' approach to education
favours student-centred learning. According to his approach to education, students
learn to face the future through a classroom environment where they can solve real-
world problems and learn to think critically.

Student-centered learning (SCL) is a teaching method where students take control over
their own learning. Students learn at their own pace, work independently, and use their
creativity to solve problems. SCL encourages self-directed learning and promotes
critical thinking skills.

The theory behind this type of pedagogy is that Students who practice SCL can become
independent learners, able to adapt to changing situations and find solutions to complex
problems. They develop confidence in their ability to succeed.
To be successful, teachers must understand the principles of SCL and incorporate them
into their classroom practices. This includes providing ample opportunities for students
to explore ideas, express opinions, and collaborate with others.

SCL is not just for elementary school children. It's used throughout the entire
educational system, including college classrooms.

Rogers' Person-Centered Therapy

In Clinical Psychology a Person-centered approach is also referred to as client-centered

therapy or Rogerian therapy utilizes a non-authoritative approach that enables clients to
take lead in sessions, which allows them to explore their own solutions.

Rogers' client-centred therapy approach emerged in a Clinical Psychology study of

American psychology and concluded that every individual is unique and, thus,
everyone’s perception of his own world, and his ability to handle it, must be trusted.
Rogers was a supporter of self-actualization, which means every person has the ability
to find the best solutions for himself and the ability to make appropriate modifications in
his everyday life. Rogers initially named his client-centred approach to therapy as non-
directive therapy, because this therapeutic approach required the therapist to maintain a
therapeutic relationship in which the therapist attends to the client’s lead rather than the
direct discussion.

In Carl Rogers' humanistic psychology, client-centred therapy while building a

therapeutic relationship, the therapist acknowledges the experiences of client, listens to
the client without judgment, and works as a compassionate facilitator, without changing
the direction of the conversation. The therapist with the person-centred approach is
meant to support and encourage the client without interfering or interrupting with the
client's process of self-discovery, as in Client-Centered Therapy, the client reveals what
is wrong and what is needed to fix everything.

Unlike other therapy methods, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or the engagement

of gestalt therapy, person-centered therapy focuses on the individual rather than the
symptoms. Carl Rogers' person-centered psychology emphasizes the importance of
building a therapeutic relationship based on empathy, respect, and authenticity. The
therapist's role is to support and encourage the client's self-discovery process without
interrupting or changing the direction of the conversation.

Rogers believed in self-actualization, the idea that every individual has the ability to find
the best solutions for themselves and make appropriate modifications in their everyday
life. In person-centered therapy, the therapist trusts the client's ability to handle their
own problems and works as a compassionate facilitator. This approach has made Carl
Rogers one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century and his legacy
continues to impact the field of psychology today.

Concluding thoughts on Rogers' theory

Rogers' theories were influenced by Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler. They had similar
views on the importance of understanding yourself. However, Rogers thought that these
theories didn't go far enough. He wanted to help people understand their feelings and
emotions.

Rogers believed that everyone wants to be happy. But many people struggle to achieve
happiness because they're not aware of who they truly are. To find out who you are, you
need to learn about yourself.

In conclusion, Carl Rogers was a psychologist who believed that everyone had the
potential to heal themselves. He also believed that if someone wanted to improve their
mental state, they should first look within themselves to find out why they were feeling
bad.

This approach allowed him to develop his famous client-centered therapy, which he
used to treat patients suffering from depression, anxiety, and phobias. His work
continues to influence psychologists today.

Rogers believed there are four basic needs that drive human behavior. These needs
are safety, belongingness, self-esteem, and freedom. People strive to meet these
needs.
People often try to fill their lives with things that give them pleasure. But when they fail
to satisfy these needs, they may experience stress. Stress causes unhappiness.

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