HUMANISM

HUMANISM

MEANING OF HUMANISM

          Humanism is a school of psychology developed as a response to psycho analysis and behaviorism. It focuses on each individual’s potential and stresses the importance of growth and self-actualization. The fundamental belief of humanistic psychology is that people are innately good and that mental and social problems result from deviations from this natural tendency. Individual free will. Personal growth and the concept of self- actualization. The goal of humanistic psychology is to help people function effectively and fulfill their own unique potential.

DEFINITION OF HUMANISM

          Major humanists include Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers

According to Rogers, “all humans are born with a drive to achieve full capacity”.   Maslow views that “all people are motivated to fulfill a hierarchy of needs”

           We shall now discuss the viewpoints of the highly influential humanistic thinkers, Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers.

THE THEORY OF ABRAHAM MASLOW
(THE SELF – ACTUALISATION THEORY)

          Abraham H.. Maslow,, an American Psychologist , has been the major theorist the humanistic approach for studying human behavior and personality. According to his theory , human being are basically good or neutral rather than evil and there lies in every one an impulse craving towards. Growth or the fulfillments of one’s potential. The behavior or personality of a human being thus depends upon his style of striving towards the ultimate goal of self- realization. How ever, the path leading towards the ultimate goal may have sub- goals in the form of satisfaction of the lower-order needs.

          Thus the pattern of human behavior is always governed by the satisfaction of our needs from the lower, base level to the upper, top level. We have to satisfy our biological needs from the lower our survival and for our social and psychological needs, we have to strive for the satisfaction in the socio- psychological context. His craving for the actualization of his ultimate goal of attaining fine humanistic values.

           These values of a self – actualized person to which one’s efforts  are directed in terms of the development of his personality have been enumerated by Maslow through sixteen basic characteristics from this study Maslow concluded that the self- actualized people have the following common characteristics which distinguish them the average person.

◦      Ability to perceive reality accurately

◦      Willingness to accept really readily

◦      Naturalness and spontaneity

◦      Ability to focus on problems rather than on   themselves.

◦      Need for privacy

◦      Self- sufficiency and independence

◦      Capacity for fresh, spontaneous, no stereo type appreciation of  objects.   

◦      Ability to attain transcendence.

◦      Identification with human kind and shared social   bonds with other people.

◦      They may have few or many friends but have deep          relationships  with at least some of these friends.

◦      A democratic, egalitarian attitude.

◦      Strongly held values and clear distinction between           means and ends.

◦      A broad, tolerant sense of humor.

◦      Inventiveness and creativity with the ability to see things in newways.

◦      Resistance to confirm or succumb to social pressure

◦      Ability to go beyond dichotomies and bring together opposites.

            The theory, thus, presents a very bright picture of human behavior and personality by setting an ultimate motivating goal of self actualization. However , it is criticized on account of its not being objective and scientific in its approach, especially in view of its subjective criteria for self – actualization.

CARL ROGER’S SELF THEORY           

                              Carl Ransom Rogers , An American personality , In 1947 propounded a new theory of personality called the self theory quite distinct from the earlier theories of personality. He stressed the importance of an individual’s self for determining the process of his growth, development and appropriate adjustment to his environment. There are two basic system underlying his personality theory –the organism and the self . The organism is an individual’s entre frame of reference.

 It represents the  totally of his experience- both conscious and unconscious. The second system, the ‘self’ is the accepted , aware part of experience. The self as a system of one’s phenomenal field can perhaps be best understood in terms of our concept of I, me or myself. The acquisition of the concept of self is a long and continuous process.

    Similarly, the development of an ideal self, too unreasonable and unattainable or too different from one’s real self, may result in maladjustment and serious personality disorder.

                   CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION

◦      It emphasizes human welfare

◦      It ensures the harmonious development of the individuals.

◦      It stresses the individual free will

◦      It ensures the personal development of the learners

◦      It helps learners function effectively

◦      It upholds the importance of stress free atmosphere

           The humanistic view point rejects the concept of man as a mechanism controlled by external stimuli or by unconscious instincts. He is dynamic and interactive. Humanist psychologists, emphasize man’s search for unique goals and values that guide his behavior.

     Apsara.R

     Social Science