Final answer:
Humanists believed that individuals had great potential for achieving rational thought, personal growth, and self-actualization, emphasizing inherent goodness and dignity. This belief emerged during the Renaissance through the study of classical antiquity and was also evident in humanistic psychology.
Step-by-step explanation:
Humanists Beliefs About People's Abilities
During the Renaissance, humanists such as Francesco Petrarca, championed the potential for human achievement through individual self-improvement and the study of classical antiquity. Humanists believed that people possessed a great capacity for rational thought and decision-making, inherently good in nature. This movement, grounded in the philosophical study of texts from Greece and Rome, emphasized the value of human dignity and the possibility of living a good life, thereby improving society.
Humanistic psychology, with pioneers like Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, also celebrated the potential within each individual, suggesting that people strive to become self-actualized. This branch of psychology viewed human beings as having an innate ability for personal growth and emphasized traits like creativity, compassion, and self-acceptance. While respecting the influence of genetics and environment, it emphasized free will and each person's desire to achieve their fullest potential.
In summary, humanists across different eras shared a belief in the vast capabilities of human beings. They trusted in the individual's ability to reason, grow, and contribute meaningfully to society and to their own self-realization, often in contrast to the prevailing religious or deterministic views of the time.