Constructivist; Existential; Holistic; Humanistic psychology; Person-centered; Phenomenological; Self-actualization; Third Force; Transpersonal
Introduction
The humanistic perspective on personality emphasizes the individualized qualities of optimal well-being and the use of creative potential to benefit others, as well as the relational conditions that promote those qualities as the outcomes of healthy development. The humanistic perspective serves as an alternative to mechanistic and/or reductionistic explanations of personality based on isolated, static elements of observable behavior [e.g., quantifiable traits] or self-concept. Humanistic psychologists contend that personality formation is an ongoing process motivated by the need for relative integration, guided by intentionality, choice, the hierarchical ordering of values, and an ever-expanding conscious awareness. Humanistic psychologists employ an intersubjective, empathic approach in their therapeutic and research...
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Authors and Affiliations
Millersville University, Millersville, PA, USA
Andrew M. Bland
Brookdale College, Lincroft, NJ, USA
Eugene M. DeRobertis
Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA
Eugene M. DeRobertis
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Oakland University, Rochester, USA
Virgil Zeigler-Hill
Oakland University, Rochester, USA
Todd K. Shackelford
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University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Ilan Dar-Nimrod
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Bland, A.M., DeRobertis, E.M. [2019]. Humanistic Perspective. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T. [eds] Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. //doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1484-2