humanis

Definition:
An approach in study,

philosophy, or practice that

focuses on human values and
concerns.
A system of thought that
rejects religious beliefs and
centers on humans and their
values, capacities, and worth.

Abraham Maslow (19081970)

An American

psychologist.
Born in April 1, 1908
and was raised in
Brooklyn, New York,
and died in June 8,
1970.
Father of Humanistic
Psychology.

Humanistic Theory of
Learning
Maslows theory is based on the

notion that experience is the

primary phenomenon in the
study of human learning and
behavior. He placed emphasis on
choice, creativity, values, selfrealization, all distinctively
human qualities, and believed
that meaningfulness and
subjectivity were more important

Maslow rejected behaviorist

views and Freuds theories

on the basis of their
reductionistic approaches.
He felt Freuds view of
human nature was negative,
and he valued goodness,
nobility, and reason. Also,
Freud concentrated on
mentally ill, and Maslow was
interested in healthy human

Maslow and his colleagues

came to refer to their

movement as third force
psychology.
1. Psychoanalysis
2. Behaviorism
3. Humanism/Existentialism
Maslow is famous for
proposing that human
motivation is based on the

Maslow proposed other goals

of learning, including the

following:
1. ones vocation or destiny
2. knowledge of values
3. realization of life as
precious
4. acquisition of peak
experiences
5. sense of accomplishment

6. satisfaction of
psychological needs
7. awareness of beauty and
wonder of life
8. impulse control
9. developing choice
10. grappling with the critical
existential problems of life.

Carl Rogers (1902-1987)

Born January 8,

1902 in Oak Park,

Illinois and a
suburb of Chicago.
Best known for
his contributions
to therapy.
Died on February
4, 1987.

Humanistic Psychology
People are essentially

trustworthy, that they have a

vast potential for
understanding themselves
and resolving their own
problems without direct
intervention on the
therapists part, and that
they are capable of self-

He was reactive against the

traditional psychoanalytic
techniques such as advice,
suggestion, direction, persuasion,
teaching, diagnosis and
interpretation. Humanistic
psychology included existential
therapy, person-centered and
Gestalt therapy and all have in
common basic tenets such as
freedom, choice, values,
responsibility, autonomy, purpose

Actualization Tendency
There is one central source

of energy in the human

organism; it is a function of
the whole organism rather
than some portion of it; and
it is perhaps best
conceptualized as a tendency
toward fulfillment, toward
actualization, toward the

Actualization Tendency
Rogers theory is built on a

single force of life he calls

the actualizing tendency.
It can be defined as the
built-in motivation present in
every lifeform to develop
its potentials to the fullest
extent possible.

Viktor Frankl (1905-1997)

Australian, born

March 26, 1905

Dreamed to
become a
physician at age
4
Conducted his
theory on
therapy

Logotherapy
From Greek word Logos,

which mean study, word,

spirit, God, or meaning.
Postulates a will to
meaning
Frankl also uses the Greek
word noos, which means
mind or spirit.

Logotherapy
In addition, Frankl says
that we should pay
attention to
noodynamics, wherein
tension is necessary for
health, at least when it
comes to meaning.

Logotherapy
Frankl believed that entire

generations of doctors and

scientists were being
indoctrinated into what could
only lead to a certain cynicism
in the study of human
existence.
He said, the deneuroticization of humanity

Conscience
One of Frankls major

concept
He sees conscience as a
sort of unconscious that
Freud and others
emphasize.
Core of our being and the
source of our personal

Conscience
being human is being

responsibleexistentially
responsible, responsible for
ones own existence.
pre-reflective ontological
self-understanding or the
wisdom of the heart,
more sensitive than

HUMANISTIC APPROACH
IN LITERATURE
Liberal humanist approach is an
intrinsic approach to literature; in an
intrinsic approach the literary analysts
focus their attention on the text and
words on the page.

Liberal humanists state that the novel or

other works of fiction must be examined with
disregard to any social or political movement;
a text therefore must be studied in isolation
without any ideological assumptions. The goal
of close verbal analysis must be to see the
object as it really is

In liberal humanist approach, the critic is mainly

concerned with the form, language, style, symbols,
images, contrasts, structure and development of plot
in a literary work. Words on the page are of utmost
importance for him. Liberal humanist approach is
also called formalism as the critics basic interest is
in the form of the text.

In comparison to the liberal humanist approach, the

extrinsic approaches focus on the context of a text.
The critic is mainly interested in the background,
history, social conditions and biography of the
author. He judges the text in relation to the authors
life. The critic moves from the text to the context.

Liberal humanist approach also emphasizes on the

studying of literature as a separate entity. In extrinsic
approach, text only has meaning in context. While
using liberal humanist approach, some texts are
given importance because of their artistic and moral
values. The concept of canon is generated by using
liberal humanist approach.

Liberal humanists do not give a fixed interpretation

of the text since the text can have multiple
meanings. In examining the novel, to kill a
mockingbird from a liberal humanist perspective, a
reader can only understand the text as a childrens
novel because the novel is seen from a childs
perspective but if the novel is examined from a
historical perspective, then the social issues of
racism which are discussed in the novel can be
understood in a profound manner.

In order to analyze a poem using the liberal

humanism approach, follow these guidelines:
1. find the poem's universal truth
2. analyze the text with no bias
3. look for the individual's identity
4. understand that content follows form

Humanism is a philosophical and ethical stance that

emphasizes the value and agency of human beings,
individually and collectively, and generally prefers
critical
thinking
and
evidence
(rationalism,
empiricism)
over
acceptance
of
dogma
or
superstition. The meaning of the term humanism has
fluctuated according to the successive intellectual
movements which have identified with it.

Humanism is a philosophical and ethical stance that

emphasizes the value and agency of human beings,
individually and collectively, and generally prefers
critical
thinking
and
evidence
(rationalism,
empiricism)
over
acceptance
of
dogma
or
superstition. The meaning of the term humanism has
fluctuated according to the successive intellectual
movements which have identified with it.