Humanist School of Thought in Psychology

Introduction

The humanistic school of thought in psychology emphasizes the unique nature of each individual and the importance of personal growth and fulfillment. This approach began in the 1950s as a reaction to the dominant behaviorist and Freudian perspectives, which tended to view people as either determined by their past experiences or governed by unconscious drives. The humanistic psychologists Adler, Rogers and Maslow were among the pioneers of this movement, and their work helped to shape the field of counseling and therapy. Adler posited that, contrary to what Freud argued, human beings could know what they wanted and could achieve their goals without regard to any subconscious or unconscious meddling. Rogers' concept of unconditional positive regard was particularly influential, as it emphasized the importance of accepting people just as they are. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs also had a major impact on psychological thinking, as it emphasized the importance of meeting basic needs before seeking self-actualization. Together, these ideas helped to create a more holistic view of human nature that has inspired many subsequent theorists. This paper will discuss the historical figures responsible for the school of thought, major theories they suggested, and how this school contributed to the school of modern psychology.

Adler

According to Lemberger (2017), Adlerinspired multiple permutations of psychotherapy, not least of all the varioushumanisticapproaches (p. 125). For that reason, any discussion of the humanist school of psychology should begin with Adler, who is often noted as the father of individual psychology (Lundin, 2015). It was Adlers view that people were not pushed and pulled by unseen, unknown forces, but rather that people were often motivated by insecurities or inferiority, or a desire to be happy or to succeed or some other factor. Unlike Freud, who viewed psychology as compartmentalizedthe organism of the self dividedAdler viewed the organism as whole and conscious of itself (Lundin, 2015). The limitations of Adlers effectiveness in psychology had to do with the fact that his theory gave way to an enormous amount of complexity, as so many different factors could be found that motivated peoples thinking and behavior. Somewhat in response to this limitation, cognitive behavioral psychology was developed, which focused less on the reasons people acted and more on what people could do to improve their lives by avoiding triggers and replacing negative thoughts/behaviors with positive ones (Sperry & Sperry, 2017).

Overall, Adlers view of psychology is often considered to be one of the most influential of the twentieth century. His theory of individual psychology emphasized the importance of social and cultural factors in shaping personality and behavior. According to Adler, all human beings are born with a sense of inferiority. This sense of inferiority drives them to striving for superiority, which leads to personal accomplishment and satisfaction. Inferiority feelings can also lead to negative compensatory behavior,...…impact on our understanding of human motivation and behavior.

Contributions

The main contributions of these theorists to the humanist school of psychology are that increased awareness of the self can contribute to one being better able to achieve a state in life that one could consider happy or effective. Adler emphasized the importance of social factors and how they could affect a persons sense of inferiority or superiority, security or insecurity. Maslows work helped to bring attention to the importance of individual growth and self-actualization, and why it was important to address individual needs over the course of ones life; and Rogers theories helped to promote a more complete and holistic humanistic view of psychology, which built on the prior work of Adler and Maslow, who essentially set the stage for the humanist school of psychology.

Conclusion

Adler, Maslow, and Rogers are all considered to be major contributors to the humanist school of thought in psychology. This perspective emphasizes the unique human experience, and the ways in which we grow and develop as individuals. Adler was one of the first to emphasize the importance of the individuals subjective experience, as well as their unique goals and motivations. Maslow later developed his famous hierarchy of needs, which outlined the different levels of human needs and motivation. Finally, Rogers introduced the concept of self-actualization, or the drive to reach our full potential as individuals. Together, these three theorists helped to shape the humanist perspective in…