Final answer:
Humanistic psychotherapists like Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers focus on self-actualization, a concept describing humans' inherent tendency toward growth and fulfillment as opposed to the deterministic views of behaviorism and psychoanalysis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Humanistic psychotherapists, such as Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, believe that individuals have a natural inclination toward growth and fulfillment. This core belief in the tendency for healthy growth is encapsulated in the concept of self-actualization. In contrast to behaviorism and psychoanalysis, the humanistic approach asserts that humans are innately good and possess free will. The therapeutic technique that emphasizes the therapeutic environment providing unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathy—attributes thought to allow individuals to grow and fulfill their potential—is known as client-centered therapy, largely popularized by Carl Rogers.
This humanistic view contrasts with psychological perspectives like behaviorism and psychoanalysis, which see behaviors as determined by genetics and environment or by unconscious processes, respectively. Thus, humanistic psychologists conduct research and practice in a way that reflects the holistic, inherently positive nature of humans—highlighting personal growth and self-determination.