Humanistic Theories of Personality

Ella Gray
8 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This study guide covers humanistic theories of personality, focusing on self-concept, self-esteem, and self-actualization. It explores Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, Rogers' Growth-Promoting Environment, and the impact of individualistic vs. collectivist cultures on self-concept. It includes practice questions and key exam tips.
#AP Psychology Study Guide: Humanistic Theories of Personality & Self-Concept
Hey there! Let's get you prepped for the AP Psych exam with a deep dive into humanistic theories and self-concept. We'll make sure you're feeling confident and ready to ace this section! 💪
#Humanistic Theories of Personality
Humanistic psychology is all about seeing people as inherently good and capable of making their own choices. It's a super optimistic view that focuses on personal growth and potential. Let's break it down:
- Core Idea: People have free will and strive towards self-actualization. 💡
#Key Concepts
- Self-Esteem: How you feel about yourself. Do you like what you see in the mirror? 🤳
- A positive self-esteem is a good thing! It means you generally feel good about yourself.
- Self-Concept: Your overall perception of who you are. "Who am I?" 👤
- A positive self-concept means you see the world through an optimistic lens.
- A negative self-concept can lead to feelings of dissatisfaction.
- Your self-concept is influenced by how close you are to your ideal self (the person you want to be).
Self-concept is central to humanistic theories. It's all about how you see yourself and how that impacts your life.
#Abraham Maslow and the Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow gave us the Hierarchy of Needs, a pyramid that explains how we're motivated. You need to satisfy the needs at the bottom before you can move up. Think of it like leveling up in a video game! 🎮
- Physiological Needs (food, water, shelter) 🥐
- Safety Needs (security, stability) 🏠
- Love and Belonging Needs (relationships, connection) 💖
- Esteem Needs (feeling accomplished, respected) 🏆
- Self-Actualization (reaching your full potential) 🌱
- Self-Transcendence is when you find a purpose beyond yourself and help others. This is even higher than self-actualization.
Remember the order of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs with the acronym PSLES: Physiological, Safety, Love, Esteem, Self-actualization. Think of it as "Please Stop Laughing Every Second!" 🤣
#Image Courtesy of Simply Psychology.
#Carl Rogers and Growth-Promoting Environments
Rogers believed that people are naturally good but need the right environment to flourish. He focused on the importance of:
- Genuineness: Being open and honest with your feelings.
- Acceptance: Showing unconditional positive regard (accepting people for who they are, flaws and all).
- Empathy: Sharing and understanding the feelings of others.
Unconditional positive regard is key! It's like a warm, accepting hug that helps people grow. 🤗
#Criticisms of Humanistic Theories
- Overly Optimistic: Some say these theories ignore the darker side of human nature.
- Self-Centered: They can be seen as too focused on the individual.
- Vague and Subjective: Concepts can be hard to measure and study scientifically.
#Self-Concept and Culture
Culture plays a huge role in shaping who we are. There are two main types of cultures:
- Individualistic Cultures: Focus on personal achievements, privacy, and independence. 🙋
- Self-esteem is often tied to individual accomplishments.
- Can lead to higher stress levels as people strive to succeed on their own.
- Collectivist Cultures: Focus on community, group harmony, and interdependence. 👪
- Self-esteem is often tied to contributions to the group.
- Generally experience less stress because they have a strong support system.
Remember the key differences between individualistic and collectivist cultures. This is a common topic on the AP exam. Use the table below to quickly review.
Concept | Individualism | Collectivism |
---|---|---|
Self | Independent (identity from individual traits) | Interdependent (identity from belonging) |
Life task | Discover and express one's uniqueness | Maintain connections, fit in, perform role in the group |
What matters | Me—personal achievement and fulfillment; rights and liberties; self-esteem | Us—group goals and solidarity; social responsibilities and relationships; family duty |
Coping method | Change reality | Accommodate to reality |
Morality | Defined by individuals (self-based) | Defined by social networks (duty-based) |
Relationships | Many—often temporary or casual; confrontation is acceptable | Few—close and enduring; harmony is valued |
Attributing behaviors | Behavior reflects one's personality and attitudes | Behavior reflects social norms and roles |
#Table Courtesy of Evelyn Welch. All credit to Myers' AP Psychology Textbook.
🏆 Trivia—Personality, Motivation, and Emotion
#Final Exam Focus
Okay, let's talk about what's most important for the exam:
- Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Know the order and what each level represents.
- Rogers' Growth-Promoting Environment: Understand the importance of genuineness, acceptance, and empathy.
- Individualistic vs. Collectivist Cultures: Be able to compare and contrast how they impact self-concept and self-esteem.
- Self-Concept and Ideal Self: Know how these relate to overall well-being.
Pay attention to how these concepts connect. AP questions often combine multiple topics, so make sure you can see the bigger picture.
#Last-Minute Tips
- Time Management: Don't spend too long on any one question. If you're stuck, move on and come back later.
- Common Pitfalls: Watch out for questions that try to trick you with subtle wording. Read carefully!
- FRQ Strategies: Practice writing clear, concise answers. Use the key terms and concepts we've covered.
#
Practice Question
Practice Questions
#Multiple Choice Questions
-
According to Carl Rogers, an environment that promotes growth requires all of the following EXCEPT: (A) Genuineness (B) Empathy (C) Unconditional positive regard (D) Conditional positive regard (E) Self-actualization
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In collectivist cultures, self-esteem is MOST likely to be based on: (A) Personal achievements (B) Individual uniqueness (C) Contributions to the group (D) Competition with others (E) Financial success
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Which of the following is the correct order of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, from the most basic to the most advanced? (A) Self-actualization, esteem, love and belonging, safety, physiological (B) Physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, self-actualization (C) Esteem, self-actualization, physiological, safety, love and belonging (D) Safety, physiological, love and belonging, esteem, self-actualization (E) Love and belonging, safety, physiological, esteem, self-actualization
#Free Response Question
Sarah is a high school student who is struggling with her self-esteem. She feels like she is never good enough, and she compares herself to her peers constantly. Her parents are very critical and only praise her when she gets perfect grades.
(a) Explain how Sarah's self-concept might be affected by her interactions with her parents, according to Carl Rogers. (b) Describe how Maslow's hierarchy of needs could be used to explain Sarah's low self-esteem. (c) Discuss how Sarah's self-esteem might be different if she lived in a collectivist culture.
Scoring Guide
(a) Explain how Sarah's self-concept might be affected by her interactions with her parents, according to Carl Rogers. (2 points)
- 1 point: Sarah's self-concept is likely negative because her parents are critical and offer conditional positive regard. Rogers argued that a lack of unconditional positive regard leads to a discrepancy between one's real self and ideal self, resulting in low self-esteem.
- 1 point: Sarah may not feel genuine or accepted by her parents, which can hinder her personal growth. Rogers emphasized the importance of genuineness, acceptance, and empathy in fostering a healthy self-concept.
(b) Describe how Maslow's hierarchy of needs could be used to explain Sarah's low self-esteem. (2 points)
- 1 point: Sarah may not be meeting her esteem needs because she is not receiving genuine praise and acceptance from her parents. According to Maslow, esteem needs involve feelings of accomplishment and respect, which are necessary for healthy self-esteem.
- 1 point: Sarah might be struggling to move past lower-level needs (such as love and belonging) because her parents' criticism creates a conditional environment. Maslow's hierarchy suggests that lower-level needs must be met before one can focus on higher-level needs like self-esteem and self-actualization.
(c) Discuss how Sarah's self-esteem might be different if she lived in a collectivist culture. (2 points)
- 1 point: In a collectivist culture, Sarah's self-esteem might be more tied to her contributions to her family or community rather than her individual achievements. This could reduce the pressure on her to be perfect individually.
- 1 point: She may experience less stress because collectivist cultures emphasize group harmony and support. She would have a stronger support system to fall back on, which can buffer against feelings of inadequacy.
You've got this! Remember to stay calm, take deep breaths, and trust in all the hard work you've put in. You're going to do great! 🎉

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