Humanistic Theory of Self

Power to decide our own actions

Shouldn’t focus on the past

All want to fulfil our potential

Rogers said this develops as we get older.

It’s how we view ourselves

The person an individual would like to be

This is how much you value yourself and is influenced by the gap between the self concept and the ideal self and also….

Rogers said that to become our ideal selves we had to go through a process called… Maslow came up with a

hierarchy of needs that we need to go through to self actualise.

Limitations of the Humanistic Theory

• Can’t measure self actualisation OBJECTIVELY. Difficult to study yourself therefore difficult to study self actualisation !

• Not a very scientific theory – can’t observe the ideas, says people are unique and have free will and so can’t predict them. Science predicts things and this doesn’t!

• Ignores genetic evidence – some scientists think that upto 60% of your personality is controlled by genes.

Trait Theory

• Eysenck said…Personality is controlled by your genes.

Also, its controlled by the reticular activating system in the brain

Our personalities are made up of different TRAITS…..

Out going confident Shy, withdrawn Anxious moody caring

These traits are….

Van Houtte & Jarvis (1995)