Humanistic psychology: core principles and applications

Humanistic Psychology centers on the ideas of self-realization and actualization. Several proponents of self-actualization have suggested that individuals have an innate tendency to self-fulfill, and consistently aspire to improve aspects of their life and seek out meaning and fulfillment in life.

Carl Rogers, Carl Jung and Abraham Maslow are critical proponents of self-realization through internal exploration. Humanistic Psychology also acknowledges the possibility that an individual's environment may also impact an individuals ability to self-realize, or find meaning in their life. These ideas and more are explored in greater detail below, as well as an examination of their relationship to my own insights and individualization.

Carlo Rogers is a leading proponent of humanistic psychology. His ideas and theories represent a principal component of humanistic psychology. Humanistic psychology developed during the 1950 and 1960s within the United States; its focus is client centered or person centered approaches to therapy (Cummins, 1996: 108). Carl Rogers help promote the ideal of self-realization which is critical to this theory. Rogers published several books that promoted the idea of growth. Rogers postulated that "the individual has a sufficient capacity to deal constructively with all those aspects of his life which can potentially come into conscious awareness" (Cummins, 1996:108). This ability is derived from internal investigations.

Early works created by Rogers suggests that responsible self-direction occurs when an individual is faced with a problem, and when responsibility for solving that problem is directed toward the person in which it is facing. Rogers also supported the notion that individuals have an "actualizing tendency" whereby human beings have an "inherent tendency to preserve or to perfect themselves" (Cummins, 1996:108). Rogers acknowledges that there are many environmental factors that can hinder an individual's move toward self-actualization or realization. The purpose of therapy from a psychological perspective in this respect, is to help offer empathy and complete acceptance as well as unconditional regard for clients (Cummins, 1996).

Carl Jung made popular the notion of individuation, which refers to the idea of personality transformation and cultural regeneration (Pietikainen, 2001). Jung argued for a universal "human experience" and a 'psychic unity of humankind' (Pietikainen, 2001:1) where people's sense of personality and regeneration are formed in part by the archetypes in which they grow up and flourish in. Jung also suggests that aspects of the human psyche are biologically inherited, and universal in nature (Pietikainen, 2001).

Jung is also credited with describing individuation as the inner journey human beings experience in their search for "wholeness" or unity; he describes this process as developmental in nature, starting somewhere in the mid thirties when people are experiencing the "second part" of their life (Pietikainen, 2001). Individuation describes a type of inner journey that people must experience, one where people must confront "archetypal entities" in order to gain true wisdom and understanding about themselves (Pietikainen, 2001). Jungian relies on the notion that people would dig deep into their psyche's to uncover some fact or feelings that will help add meaning and depth to their life. His notion is very valid, as a majority of people do take time to go on "spiritual journeys" where they for the most part, are seeking to find purpose and meaning in their lives.

Self-actualization has been described as many including Maslow as the tendency of people to move toward a state of maturation (Gewirth, 1998; Maslow, 1962). Maslow supported the notion that self-actualization is a fundamental aspect of human nature that most human beings are born with (Gewirth, 1998:9). Maslow acknowledged humans naturally have a tendency to grow and realize their fullest potential, however unfavorable conditions may exist in the environment that may push a person outside of this realization (Gewirth, 1998).

Individuals who truly ascribe to the idea of individuation and self-actualization should in theory engender a lifetime of learning that is virtually boundless (Kiel, 1999:1). Maslow also described a hierarchy of needs theory which described human needs and motivation as realized during a process in which people uncover and fulfill their unique physical, security, social esteem and "self-actualization needs" (Kiel, 1999). He also suggested that fulfillment of these needs occurs in an orderly or hierarchical fashion, and suggested that individuals might never have the opportunity to completely satisfy all of their needs (Kiel, 1999).

Modern theorists have described self-actualization as an open rather than a closed process, where individuals continuously have the ability to aspire to new heights (Kiel, 1999). Learning in Humanistic Psychology is demonstrated by the student's knowledge of the psychological issues related to the development of human wholeness, identity, values, fulfillment, and creativity.

As a twenty-seven-year-old male, I feel that I have truly embarked on a path of self-actualization and individuation, much like that described by the psychologists above. My environment has influenced some of this self-actualization, as suggested by Carl Rogers. I have grown up in an environment with loving parents, an 18-year-old brother and other supportive family members. I do not have any children and am currently not married, but I realize that this is a path I simply have yet to realize or embark upon. Maslow would suggest perhaps that in a hierarchical sense, I will aspire to realize the aspiration to settle down and have children as I fulfill other basic needs that need to be realized first. This makes perfect sense; however I also believe in the possibility that an individual may become "stuck" in a phase of life where they feel that they have realized all that they need to. I could come for example, to a point where I don't feel the need to continue, where I feel that I might already be self-actualized and realized.

I do agree with the notion that individuals aspire to find fulfillment and meaning in life, and that this is an innate feeling and desire. Self-actualization and individuation are the means through which individuals have the ability to achieve these goals. Jung's idea of a universal consciousness is a little more difficult to grasp. It is possible to grasp the notion that every individual is born with a natural tendency to self-actualize. The archetypes that people are brought up into can and probably do influence how individuals perceive their life and their ability to self-realize or seek out an identity. True to form also most individuals seek out meaning in their life via self-realization. Still, the notion of a universal consciousness from a personal perspective is harder to grasp. I can however relate to it in the context of family. All of the members of my family for example hold similar ideals and notions related to identity, unity and wholeness. Perhaps this matches more closely Jung's sentiment than an actual shared consciousness. Rather one might interpret his ideas as common goals or realities and realizations.