The Humanistic Perspective: Psychological Growth and Human Potential
Andrea L McCown
Arapahoe Community College, Psychology

Abstract
The humanistic approach looks at human behavior not only with the eyes of an observer, but also looks at human behavior through the eyes of the person doing the behaving. Humanists believe that a person’s behavior is linked to their inner emotional state and self-concept. This approach originated as a rebellion against what was seen, as limitations when it came to the psychology of the behaviorist and psychodynamic approaches. This ideal offers a new set of ideals that allows Psychologist more understanding of human nature and the human condition, and provides many methods in to the study of human behavior.
Humanistic psychology appeared in the 1950s in retort to both behaviorism and psychoanalysis. It is concerned with the specific understanding of human beings, and views using measureable approaches in the study of the human mind and behavior as erroneous. This is in direct contrast to cognitive psychology, which aims to apply the scientific method to the study, an approach of which humanistic psychology has been intensely critical. As an alternative, the discipline stresses a phenomenological outlook of the human experience, looking to figure out human beings and their behavior by conducting qualitative research (Wikipedia).
The humanistic approach comes from existentialist thought, a philosophy that stresses human self-determination and accountability. The founding philosophers behind this institute of thought are Abraham Maslow, who presented a “hierarchy of needs”; Carl Rogers, who shaped and developed ‘client centered therapy’ and Fritz and Laura Perls who aided in the creation and development of Gestalt therapy. Gestalt psychologists claim to consider behavior holistically, believing that the whole is greater than the