Humanistic & existential Humanistic & existential approaches to approaches to

personalitypersonality

All you need is loveAll you need is love

Humanistic & existential Humanistic & existential approaches to approaches to

personalitypersonality

All you need is loveAll you need is love

Dr Niko TiliopoulosRoom 448, Brennan McCallum building

Email: nikot@psych.usyd.edu.au

NowNow what’s up doc? what’s up doc?

Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis (1(1stst force) force) Negative (pessimistic) view of personalityNegative (pessimistic) view of personality Focus on the unconsciousFocus on the unconscious Downplays the role of consciousnessDownplays the role of consciousness

Behaviourism Behaviourism (2(2ndnd force) force) Simplistic (reductionistic)Simplistic (reductionistic) MechanisticMechanistic Ignores subjective experiencesIgnores subjective experiences Ignores the existence/role of consciousnessIgnores the existence/role of consciousness

Both approaches are deterministicBoth approaches are deterministic

Enter the 3Enter the 3rdrd force! force! Influenced byInfluenced by

Civil rights movementCivil rights movement

FeminismFeminism

The holocaustThe holocaust

Eastern philosophiesEastern philosophies

PostmodernismPostmodernism

Hippy movementHippy movement

Experiences with mind-altering drugsExperiences with mind-altering drugs

Some quotesSome quotes ““An assumption unusual in psychology today is that the subjective An assumption unusual in psychology today is that the subjective

human being has an important value which is basic; that no matter how human being has an important value which is basic; that no matter how he may be labelled and evaluated, he is a human person first of all and he may be labelled and evaluated, he is a human person first of all and most deeply.“most deeply.“ (Rogers, 1962)(Rogers, 1962)

““It is as if Freud supplied to us the sick half of psychology and we must It is as if Freud supplied to us the sick half of psychology and we must now fill it out with the healthy half.”now fill it out with the healthy half.” (Maslow, 1968) (Maslow, 1968)

““If you do not express your own original ideas, if you do not listen to If you do not express your own original ideas, if you do not listen to your own being, you will have betrayed yourself.”your own being, you will have betrayed yourself.” (May, 1958) (May, 1958)

““[We are] subjects to illness, death, limitations of intelligence and [We are] subjects to illness, death, limitations of intelligence and experience and other deterministic forces, but at the same time realising experience and other deterministic forces, but at the same time realising we have the subjective freedom to choose how we relate to these we have the subjective freedom to choose how we relate to these objective and deterministic forces. We alone can assign meaning to objective and deterministic forces. We alone can assign meaning to them and are responsible for own destinies.”them and are responsible for own destinies.” (Ryckman, 1995) (Ryckman, 1995)

““Humanistic psychology is a value orientation that holds a hopeful, Humanistic psychology is a value orientation that holds a hopeful, constructive view of human beings and of their substantial capacity to constructive view of human beings and of their substantial capacity to be self-determining. […] This conviction leads to an effort to enhance be self-determining. […] This conviction leads to an effort to enhance such distinctly human qualities as choice, creativity, the interaction of such distinctly human qualities as choice, creativity, the interaction of the body, mind and spirit, and the capacity to become more aware, free, the body, mind and spirit, and the capacity to become more aware, free, responsible, life-affirming and trustworthy.”responsible, life-affirming and trustworthy.” (Association for Humanistic (Association for Humanistic Psychology, 2010)Psychology, 2010)

Assumptions in H-E IAssumptions in H-E I Focus on the creative potentials inherent in humansFocus on the creative potentials inherent in humans

Seeks to help individuals realise their highest and Seeks to help individuals realise their highest and most important goals (growth & psychological health)most important goals (growth & psychological health)

Emphasis on the dignity and worth of humans and Emphasis on the dignity and worth of humans and the conscious capacity to develop competence and the conscious capacity to develop competence and self-respectself-respect

Focus on:Focus on:

The The good sidegood side of human nature (Humanism) of human nature (Humanism) Existence (Existence (daseindasein = being-in-the-world) = being-in-the-world) The The nownow and and herehere and on such things as:and on such things as:

• Love, affiliation, creativity, spontaneity, joy, courage, humour, Love, affiliation, creativity, spontaneity, joy, courage, humour, independence, morality, and personal growthindependence, morality, and personal growth

Assumptions in H-E IIAssumptions in H-E II Each human being is a unique individual Each human being is a unique individual

((idiographic approachidiographic approach))

Humans are good and (should) always strive Humans are good and (should) always strive to be happy (optimistic view)to be happy (optimistic view)

Freedom to choose one’s own behaviour and Freedom to choose one’s own behaviour and control (responsibility) over one’s life:control (responsibility) over one’s life:

How you act (freedom of doing)How you act (freedom of doing) What you become (freedom of being)What you become (freedom of being) If you are to be If you are to be self-actualizedself-actualized or accept conditions of worth or accept conditions of worth

Assumptions in H-E IIIAssumptions in H-E III Personality a unified whole and inseparablePersonality a unified whole and inseparablefrom the physical and social environmentfrom the physical and social environment

The whole is greater than the sum of its partsThe whole is greater than the sum of its parts

Existence of innate (personality) growthExistence of innate (personality) growthmechanismmechanism

The growth process is the drive towards:The growth process is the drive towards:

Self actualisationSelf actualisation

Self-realisationSelf-realisation

SelfhoodSelfhood

Total personality development is achieved when we Total personality development is achieved when we realise and utilise in full our abilities and potentialitiesrealise and utilise in full our abilities and potentialities

Assumptions in H-E IVAssumptions in H-E IV Society (the Society (the bad guybad guy) restricts ) restricts

personal growth through itspersonal growth through itsrules and lawsrules and laws

Obedience to (social) rules leads to Obedience to (social) rules leads to dull, conventional, mediocre, and dull, conventional, mediocre, and submissive individualssubmissive individuals

Realisation of the individual’s Realisation of the individual’s potentialities if environmental potentialities if environmental conditions are rightconditions are right

Assumptions in H-E VAssumptions in H-E V Rejects the medical model of mental illnessRejects the medical model of mental illness

But then, how does one become ill?But then, how does one become ill?

IncongruenceIncongruence (aka (aka incongruityincongruity))• Disharmony within cognitive elements of experienceDisharmony within cognitive elements of experience• Discrepancy between one’s experiences and their self-conceptDiscrepancy between one’s experiences and their self-concept

Leads to anxietyLeads to anxiety Can cause low self-esteemCan cause low self-esteem (Rational) (Rational) distortion of experiencedistortion of experience

D-NeedsD-Needs (deficiency needs) (deficiency needs)• Physiological, safety, love, esteemPhysiological, safety, love, esteem

Failure to satisfy them can lead to (mental) health problemsFailure to satisfy them can lead to (mental) health problems

Terror managementTerror management (awareness of and response to death)(awareness of and response to death)• Nothingness vs. beingNothingness vs. being• Existential guilt and angstExistential guilt and angst

ContributionContribution The first The first holistic holistic personality theoriespersonality theories

The first theories of personality to capitalise on subjective (free) The first theories of personality to capitalise on subjective (free) will, personal responsibility, and conscious choicewill, personal responsibility, and conscious choice

The first The first non-deterministicnon-deterministic theories of personality theories of personality

They gave rise to They gave rise to positive psychology, transpersonal positive psychology, transpersonal psychology psychology (the 4(the 4thth force), force), and holistic approaches to and holistic approaches to medicinemedicine

Major contributions to social care systems,Major contributions to social care systems,humanitarian interventions, and the treatmenthumanitarian interventions, and the treatmentof (primarily) substance abuse and relational problemsof (primarily) substance abuse and relational problems

E.g. Person-Centred TherapyE.g. Person-Centred Therapy Gestalt TherapyGestalt Therapy LogotherapyLogotherapy Conjoint Family TherapyConjoint Family Therapy

CriticismCriticism Society is bad, individuals are goodSociety is bad, individuals are good

What is What is conventionalconventional is is mediocremediocre

Too much reliance on the individual’s self-Too much reliance on the individual’s self-reported conscious experiencereported conscious experience

Methodology is often too vague, unscientific, Methodology is often too vague, unscientific, and untestableand untestable

Theories lack falsifiabilityTheories lack falsifiability

Qualitative research methodsQualitative research methodsmore suitablemore suitable

Famous theorists in the humanistic & existential Famous theorists in the humanistic & existential approachapproach

Gordon Allport (1897-1967)Gordon Allport (1897-1967)

Abraham Maslow (1909-1970)Abraham Maslow (1909-1970)

Carl Rogers (1902-1987)Carl Rogers (1902-1987)

Rollo May (1909-1994)Rollo May (1909-1994)