The Impact of Humanism

Psychotherapies under the heading of Humanistic Psychology include; the Feldenkreis Method, bioenergetics, encounter therapy, rational-emotive therapy, reality therapy and conjoint family therapy, among several others. Even Jungian Psychoanalysis is counted as a Humanistic Psychology, in spite of the fact that it is also referred to as belonging to psychoanalytic psychology. Yet, Humanistic Psychology, or humanism, has had a much broader impact than only in psychotherapies and human growth activities. Humanism has affected the burgeoning evolution of holistic health care, the feminist movement and other aspects of political and societal change since the 1960s. It is popularly credited with concern for self-esteem and the concepts of self-actualization, among many other popular ideas.

Humanistic Psychology

Humanistic Psychology has been refereed to as the Third Force: The First Force refers to behaviorism, a belief in conditioning as the predominant cause of human behavior, and to psychoanalytic psychology as the Second Force, the belief that the primary source of human behavior is the unconscious. Humanistic Psychology is a somewhat eclectic amalgam of constructivist, existential, phenomenological, transpersonal, feminist and other psychological theories and therapeutic approaches that are linked together by certain beliefs and values. Its pioneers included Fritz Perls, Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow during the 1950s and 60s, although some of the roots go back to existentialism. The link between these theories and approaches is the central concern for what it is to be human.

These tenets include, but are not limited to, the ideas that:

Life must be meaningful to the individual;

Human beings strive for wholeness;

Hope is necessary to life;

Creativity is an important, but higher order, phenomena;

The components of human psychological and physiological wellness;

The core of each person is good;

Each individual is unique;

There is a self to each person; and

That each human is always in a process of development.

Humanistic Psychology usually takes a qualitative approach to research, rather than a quantitative one. It was originally a psychology developed in reaction to what those in Humanistic Psychology saw as the mechanistic views of behaviorism and psychoanalysis. Humanistic Psychology is more apt to accept the subjective views of human beings about their experiences. It has had a far-reaching impact on our culture.

Self-Actualization

Self-Actualization is a widely used term that grew from Humanistic Psychology, and was coined by Abraham Maslow. He believed that once an individual's more basic needs are met, self-actualization is the natural goal towards which a person strives. The definition of self-actualization is reaching one's potential for maturity and mental health through exploration of the self and her or his environment. Self-actualization has had a significant impact on education.

Humanistic Psychology and Education

Although the height of the influence of Humanistic Psychology on education occurred during the 1970s with several educational experiments, such as open classrooms, other aspects of that impact remain in force. The ideas of curricular choice, learning opportunities concerning the arts, learning communities, and encouragement of creativity within the schools were borrowed from Humanistic Psychology. Perhaps most importantly, whether actually originated within Humanistic Psychology or expanded by it, the importance of the individual student is considered a focus of modern education.