Question

The humanistic approach to therapy assumes:

A) Individuals are generally logical and are primarily motivated by intellectual arguments.
B) Individuals are generally misinformed and need guidance from therapists.
C) Individuals are generally animal-like and are primarily motivated by biological needs.
D) Individuals are generally good and committed to improving themselves.

Answer 1

The humanistic approach to therapy assumes that individuals are generally good and committed to improving themselves, an idea pioneered by psychologists Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers. Humanistic therapy focuses on the individual's capacity for self-actualization and intrinsic potential for growth, countering the deterministic views of psychoanalysis and behaviorism.

Step-by-step explanation:

The humanistic approach to therapy posits that individuals are generally good and committed to improving themselves. This belief is upheld by the pioneering work of humanistic psychologists like Abraham Maslow, who developed the hierarchy of needs, and Carl Rogers, who introduced client-centered therapy. They emphasized that each person has an innate desire to achieve their fullest potential, a process Maslow referred to as self-actualization. Furthermore, Rogers emphasized the importance of unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathy in therapeutic settings to help individuals work through their own issues.

Humanistic psychology emerged as a 'third force' in the psychological field as a response to the deterministic views of psychoanalysis and behaviorism, positing a more optimistic view of human nature. This approach reflects the inherent potential for growth and goodness in all people, stating that individuals are not just a set of responses to the environment or slaves to their unconscious but are capable of self-guided growth and transformation.