Humanistic Psychology Essay

Humanistic psychology, in short, is the study of an individual as a whole, while focusing on how the environmental and cultural factors surrounding that individual influences their thoughts, perspectives, and behaviors. Humanistic psychology focuses on the healthy human concept and does not isolate any particular aspect of a human being or being human. Humanistic psychologists are better suited to shift between the numerous aspect of psychology, based on the need of the individual client. As a science, Humanistic psychology was founded by Abraham Maslow in order to “combat and challenge the growing social and cultural crisis and the feelings of dehumanization and deindividualization of the twentieth century” (Buhler & Allen, 1972, p. v). Humanistic
Of the five tenets of humanistic psychology, the first tenet best exemplifies the difference between humanistic psychology and that of psychoanalysis and behaviorism. The first tenet states “Human beings, as human, are more than merely the sum of their parts. They cannot be reduced to component parts or functions” (Bugental, 1964, pp. 19-25). This idea alone is in strong contrast to psychoanalysis and humanism, because, the other two forces, separate the individual from either their thoughts or actions, whereas humanistic psychology focuses on the individual as a whole. The second tenet states “Human beings exist in a uniquely human context, as well as in a cosmic ecology” (Bugental, 1964, pp. 19-25). The second tenet identifies how each individual is unique and no two individuals are alike. Every person in the world may consist of the same physical components, yet, when it comes to the life, behaviors, environment, culture, etc. each individual is unique in their own existence. The third tenet of humanistic psychology states “Human beings are aware and aware of being aware—i.e., they are conscious. Human consciousness potentially includes an awareness of oneself in the context of other people and the cosmos” (Bugental, 1964, pp. 19-25). The third tenet not only identifies how humanistic psychology if different from the two previous forces, it also speaks to how individuals operate within social settings and their environment. Individuals are aware of not only how they show up in their daily lives, but also how they represent themselves in their culture and environment. This state of awareness not only makes human beings unique and different from one another, but it also refutes Freud’s notion of individual beings in a constant battle with themselves and their society. This tenet also speaks to the idea that our behavior alone