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What do humanistic theories fail to account for?

a. The importance of personal experiences
b. The influence of the unconscious mind
c. The role of self-actualization
d. The impact of societal norms

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Humanistic theories, associated with self-actualization and personal growth, primarily fail to account for the influence of the unconscious mind, a key element of Freud's psychoanalytic theory. Hence, option (b) is correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

Humanistic theories fail to account for the influence of the unconscious mind. While humanistic psychology, shaped by figures such as Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, focuses on the potential for self-actualization and the belief in free will and personal growth, it often overlooks the complex nature of the unconscious.

Contrastingly, Freud's psychoanalytic theory emphasized the unconscious mind's role in shaping personality and behaviors, a concept largely absent in humanistic approaches. Moreover, humanistic theories place less emphasis on how our behaviors and personalities are influenced by environmental factors, such as societal norms and the potential bias introduced by researchers to their subjects, as discussed in sociological and anthropological contexts.

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