The humanistic approach emerged in the 1960s in reaction to Freudian and behavioral perspectives. It focuses on personal responsibility, the present moment, individual phenomenology, and personal growth. Abraham Maslow studied psychologically healthy individuals and developed a hierarchy of needs consisting of basic physiological needs, safety needs, love/belonging needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization as the highest need involving fulfilling one's potential. Maslow's theories emphasize an inherent drive toward self-actualization and that human nature is basically good. His hierarchy has been applied to understanding motivation and job satisfaction but also has limitations as his studies were subjective and not empirically based.

1. Humanistic approaches to
learning :
Abraham Maslow
Theories of SLA
Dr M.Khatib
Maryam Bolouri

2. The “Third Force”
 The Humanistic approach has emerged in the
late 1960’s, primarily as a reaction to the two
major views of humanity popular at that time
 The Freudian perspective and its emphasis on
unconscious sexual and aggressive instincts
 The behavioral perspective, and its emphasis
on the mechanical nature of responses to stimuli
in the environment. The humanistic perspective,
thus, as been called the “third force”.

3. Key Elements of the Humanistic
Approach
 personal responsibility
 “here and now”
 phenomenology of the individual
 personal growth

5. Abraham Maslow
1908-1970
 Abraham Maslow was interested in exploring the
sources of happy, healthy personality.
 His approach was optimistic, regarding human beings
as free-willed individuals, and not as captive by
unconscious drives
 Human nature is basically good, not evil. Normal human
development involves the actualization of this inherent
goodness
 His contribution is in the hierarchy of needs, and in the
study of the psychologically-healthy individuals.
 Much of Maslow’s work was concerned with identifying
the different types of needs that people have, and
explaining why some people make more of their
potential than others.

6. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
 Maslow distinguished between D (deficiency) needs.
1. Physiological needs
2. Safety needs
3. Love and Belongingness needs
4. Esteem needs (you value yourself, and others also value
you)
and 3 being needs (higher order needs): people strive for
more fulfillment
1. Knowing and understanding (academic achievement)
2. Aesthetic appreciation
3. Self actualization
ON THE WHOLE AN INDIVIDUAL
CANNOT SATISFY ANY LEVEL
UNLESS NEEDS BELOW ARE
SATISFIED

9. Self-Actualization- What is it?
 There is more to life than the absence of problems
 The Humanistic perspective maintain that we all have a drive toward
“self-actualization”
 To become that best we can become, in the context of our life (you do
not have to receive the Nobel Prize)
. MASLOW EMPHASIZES NEED FOR
SELF ACTUALIZATION
IS
A HEALTHY INDIVIDUAL’S
PRIME MOTIVATION

10. but we can nearly
all do more than
we think we can
Nobody can do
everything,

11. There are 4 general approaches to motivation:
1. Behavioral approaches to motivation
Reward, incentives…
2. Humanistic approaches to motivation
inherent needs
3. Cognitive approaches to motivation
intrinsic motivations
4. Sociocultural conceptions of motivation
Identity and interpersonal relations

12. Humanistic approaches to motivation
 According to Maslow, most theories of motivation are limited because
they mainly deal with basic physiological needs such as hunger and
thirst, or with the need to avoid anxiety. Such theories omit many
important needs relating to personal growth
 Human motivation is more than just fulfilling basic physiological needs
such as reduction of eating, reduction of anxiety etc. There is also a
motivation to grow.

13. Misconceptions about Maslow Hierarchy
 You do not have to fulfill all the needs in one level to “climb” to the next level
Some people who starve for their loved one, or for their life work
The needs in each level are never fully satisfied. Some of our greatest artists,
writers, philosophers and scientists, far from being contented individuals,
Does this fit with Maslow’s notion that people can only become great if their
deficit needs are met?
 There are cultural differences in the ways the needs are regarded and are
fulfilled. Maslow’s views on people’s needs tie in very closely with the
European and American ideal. But what of other cultures?
 Maslow’s study of the psychologically- healthy people was Not empirically-
based .He examined his friends, whom he judged to be psychologically
healthy, as well as historical figures. His analysis was “holistic” and
subjective

14. Applications
 Maslow’s hierarchy of needs has been applied into understanding job
satisfaction and vocational choices
Maslow takes an active interest in the area of work. “If you’re
unhappy with your work, you have lost one of the most
important means of self-fulfilment”
(Maslow 1971).
 It helps us understand that intellectual, emotional, and physical
needs are interrelated and if the class is fearful, students are likely to
be concerned more with deficiency needs and less with being ones.
The ideal university would have no formal credits, required
courses, or degrees. It would serve as an educational
retreat where people could explore various subjects,
discover their own true interests and identities, and
appreciate the joys of learning and the preciousness of
life (Maslow, 1971)

15. Reference:
 Gross, R.D. (1996): Psychology: The Science of Mind
and Behaviour.
 Woolfolk, A. E., Winne, P. H., & Perry, N. E. (2003).
Educational Psychology (2nd ed.). Toronto: Pearsoon
Education.
 http://www.ship.edu/%7Ecgboeree/perscontents.html