Humanistic Vs Cognitive Psychology

Psychology is the scientific study of people’s minds and behaviours. Although psychology could be examined as a whole, usually it is more important to understand that psychology is made up of several forms or branches of psychologies. There are behavioural psychologists who focus on an individual’s actions, emotions and thoughts. While cognitive psychologists study the internal processing of an individual such as thinking or perceiving. Although, these branches examine segments of humans in psychology – like behaviour or cognition – there is a branch of psychology that focuses on the entirety of a person or one 's self. This is humanistic psychology, which is the study of how individuals are impacted by their perception of themselves and their

Both men share several similarities in the various aspects of humanistic psychology. One of the largest similarities within Maslow’s and Roger’s views in humanistic psychology, was their agreement in rejecting the methodologies that are usually associated with experiments within scientific psychology. The two believed that in order to understand people, one would have to converse with that individual about past experiences and the emotions attached to those particular experiences. Both Maslow and Rogers gave small worth to the behaviourist branch of psychology, and focused on the inner development personal growth of an individual. Unlike behaviourists, who examined and focused on the negatives of an individual’s personality. Maslow and Rogers believed in a more hopeful and positive perspective. These two men believed that individuals are essentially born ‘good’, and that it is the inability to reach or achieve the next stage of personal growth and needs, that causes an individual to deviate from their ‘goodness’. In both Maslow’s and Roger’s theories, there is a strong emphasis on self-actualization – which is the highest goal an individual can achieve; it signifies personal growth toward achievement of the highest necessities. Both agree on the numerous aspects of humanistic psychology, and upon self-actualization as the highest point of personal growth. However, each man’s view

Maslow’s and Roger’s idea that are represented within humanistic psychology are represented in various aspects within our culture. Most evidentially, the theories of “self-concept” and building up one 's self-esteem, can be seen in the majority of self-help books. Many of these books about helping yourself, rather than seeking help from others, encourages individuals, to be in charge of their own destinies and happiness. As well, motivates those individuals who are in an unhappy state, to turn their life around to eventually achieve a state of happiness and self-actualization. These ideas of self-help came from the ideas that Maslow and Rogers theorized about the self and self-actualization of individuals. The self-help phenomenon has encouraged and changed numerous lives; without the advancements of Maslow and Rogers, our culture might be as self-seeking and self-fulfilling as it is