Humanistic psychology is a psychological perspective that emerged in the mid-20th century as a response to psychoanalytic theory and behaviorism. It emphasizes the importance of human factors and the uniqueness of each individual. Here are some key characteristics of humanistic psychology:
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Holistic approach: Humanistic psychology focuses on the whole person, rather than reducing them to functions or parts.
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Individual uniqueness: Humanistic psychology recognizes that each person is unique and should be treated as such.
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Free will and self-actualization: Humanistic psychology assumes that people have free will and are motivated to achieve their potential and self-actualize.
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Morality and ethical values: Humanistic psychology holds that morality, ethical values, and good intentions are the driving forces of human behavior.
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Non-pathologizing view: Humanistic psychology tends to look beyond the medical model of psychology in order to open up a non-pathologizing view of the human condition.
Humanistic psychology is not so much a discipline within psychology as a perspective on the human condition that informs psychological research and practice. It has made several significant contributions to the field of psychology, including presenting a new approach to understanding human nature, new methods of data collection in human behavioral studies, and a broad range of psychotherapy techniques that have been shown to be effective.
