Answer each question
1. Why is Rogers' theory considered to be "person centered"--give some examples? Choose one the three major conditions necessary for therapeutic progress and explain why this is important, in your opinion (citing and referencing the text).
• Carl Rogers was an influential humanistic psychologist who developed a personalitytheory that emphasized the importance of the self-actualizing tendency in shaping human personalities.
• Rogers believed that humans are constantly reacting to stimuli with their subjective reality (phenomenal field), which changes continuously. Over time, a person develops a self-concept based on the feedback from this field of reality.
• In the development of self-concept, positive regard is key. Unconditional positive regard is an environment that is free of preconceived notions of value. Conditional positive regard is full of conditions of worth that must be achieved to be considered successful.
• Human beings develop an ideal self and a real self based on the conditional status of positive regard. How closely one's real self matches up with their ideal self is called congruity.
• Rogers believed that fully functioning people could achieve "the good life," in which they constantly aim to fulfill their potential and allow their personalities to emanate from their experiences.
• Like Maslow's theories, Rogers' were criticized for their lack of empirical evidence in research.
Source: Boundless. "Rogers' Humanistic Theory of Personality."Boundless Psychology Boundless, 20 Sep. 2016. Retrieved 16 Jan. 2017 from
https://www.boundless.com/psychology/textbooks/boundless-psychology-textbook/personality-16/humanistic-perspectives-on-personality-78/rogers-humanistic-theory-of-personality-308-12843/
2. Explain what Maslow meant by creativity as a characteristic of a self-actualized person. How is this different from musical or artistic talent? Can you think of an example from your own experience?
Maslow created a theory of self-actualization, and it is the topic of this discussion. According to Maslow, self-actualization is a process by which individuals may ascend a hierarchy of needs that is linear as opposed to dialectical. The higher levels of this hierarchy are reached by psychologically robust and healthy self-actualizing individuals. In addition, Maslow contends that these self-actualizing individuals are highly creative and demonstrate a capacity to resolve dichotomies inherent in ultimate contraries, such as life versus death and freedom versus determinism, as examples.
This discussion does not challenge Maslow's theory as much as it extends the ideas postulated by him. Essentially, this argument stresses the synergism of dialectical transcendence implicit in the type of personal growth that Maslow contends is self-actualizing. Further, it is argued that one need not transcend these levels of self-actualization in directly linear and subsequent stages. Lastly, it is postulated that all creative individuals might be capable of self-actualization, independent of their mental health or lack of it.
3. It has been said that Maslow's theory does not hold up globally; that is, other cultures do not see self-actualization as the highest form of need. Rather, some cultures believe service to others or family is the highest level of need fulfillment. What is your opinion on this? Explain.
4. What is the role of unconditional positive regard in personality development?
5. What are the needs presented in Maslow's hierarchy of needs? Discuss how you feel you have advanced through the hierarchy to progress to self-actualization, if you have done so.