Question

Mary kept getting into trouble at school. her parents would scold and ground every time, but never offered any praise or positive reinforcement when she exhibited correct behaviors. which of the following statements most accurately applies to mary?

a. she was being overindulged by her parents and will become arrogant and selfish.
b. she is more likely to develop organismic valuing because of a lack of self-discipline.
c. she received conditions of worth from her parents; therefore, she is not bad anymore.
d. she received conditional positive regard from her parents and lower self-esteem.

Answer 1

Mary likely received conditional positive regard from her parents and lower self-esteem, which fits with humanistic psychological theories regarding conditions of worth and their impact on self-image. The correct option is option (d).

Step-by-step explanation:

The most accurate statement that applies to Mary, who kept getting into trouble at school and whose parents only scold and ground her without offering praise for positive behavior, is she received conditional positive regard from her parents and lower self-esteem.

This situation is an example of conditional positive regard, where Mary is only shown affection or attention when she meets her parents' expectations or demands, which often leads to lower self-esteem and can adversely affect her self-image.

According to humanistic psychology, particularly the theories developed by Carl Rogers, consistently receiving conditional positive regard can lead to conditions of worth wherein the child strives to meet the conditions set by the parents to receive love and acceptance, which can suppress the child's true self and cause emotional difficulties.