What is Humanistic Psychology?
Humanistic psychology is an approach that focuses on individual potential and personal growth, emphasizing free will, self-actualization, and the importance of a supportive environment for psychological well-being. Often called the “third force” in psychology after psychoanalysis and behaviorism, it represents a fundamental reorientation toward understanding humans as whole persons rather than as mechanistic organisms or collections of pathology.
The early humanistic psychologists sought to restore importance of consciousness and offer a more holistic view of human life. Unlike behaviorism, which viewed humans through stimulus-response patterns, or psychoanalysis, which focused on unconscious conflicts, humanistic psychology centers on conscious experience, present-moment awareness, and the belief in an innate human drive toward wholeness and meaning.
Origins & Lineage
By the late 1950s a “Third Force” was beginning to form. In 1957 and 1958, at the invitation of Abraham Maslow and Clark Moustakas, two meetings were held in Detroit among psychologists who were interested in founding a professional association dedicated to a more meaningful, more humanistic vision. In 1954, Maslow contacted some friends in order to begin meetings that led to the creation of the American Association for Humanistic Psychology. In 1961, with the sponsorship of Brandeis University, this movement was formally launched as the American Association for Humanistic Psychology.
In 1964, these and other influential figures came together in Old Saybrook, Conn., to consolidate their movement. The conference brought together founding figures including Maslow, Rollo May, Bugental, and Rogers, along with Gordon Allport, George Kelly, Clark Moustakas, Gardner Murphy, Henry Murray, Robert W. White, Charlotte Bühler, Floyd Matson, Jacques Barzun, and René Dubos.
The foundational texts include Maslow’s Toward a Psychology of Being, published in 1962, and Rogers’ Client-centered Therapy, published in 1951. While origins of humanistic psychology date back to the early 1940s, the origins of humanism date back to the classical civilizations of China, Greece, and Rome. The modern humanistic approach has its roots in the works of philosophers such as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty and Sartre.
Abraham Maslow developed the hierarchical theory of human motivation in 1943, famously known as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, highlighting self-actualization as the ultimate psychological need. Carl Rogers introduced client-centered therapy in 1946, emphasizing empathy, unconditional positive regard, and congruence as crucial therapeutic elements. Rollo May brought European existentialism and phenomenology into the field by acknowledging human choice and the tragic aspects of human existence.
How it’s Practiced
Humanistic psychology manifests primarily through therapeutic practice, though its principles have influenced education, organizational development, and social services. Person-centered therapy emphasizes the importance of creating a therapeutic environment grounded in three core conditions: unconditional positive regard (acceptance), congruence (genuineness), and empathic understanding.
Person-Centered Therapy is less about specific tools or techniques, but more about the therapist’s attitude towards the client, conveying a non-judgmental attitude that reflects empathy and understanding, and acceptance of the client, no matter what the client discloses. This is a form of nondirective therapy, in which the therapist does not give advice or provide interpretations but helps the person to identify conflicts and understand feelings.
Humanistic and Experiential Psychotherapies encompass a range of therapeutic approaches, including Person-Centered Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Gestalt, and Psychodrama. In contrast to psychoanalysis, humanistic therapists focus on conscious rather than unconscious thoughts and emphasize the patient’s present and future, as opposed to exploring the patient’s past.
In session, the work often involves reflection, exploration of feelings, and clarification of values and meaning. The therapist acts as a mirror, to reflect the client’s thoughts and feelings, which can bring clarity and a deeper understanding.
Humanistic Psychology Today
Today, humanistic psychology remains an influential force in psychology, with some arguing that the 2000s have marked a humanistic renaissance in the field. In 2021, the 60th anniversary of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology was celebrated alongside recognition of its growing impact factor.
Humanistic psychology formed the philosophical bedrock for many contemporary movements, most notably positive psychology. Its core values and beliefs have permeated parenting practices, education, elder care, medical care, social services, social sciences, business and organizational practices, pastoral counseling, and progressive political and social organizations.
Modern-day therapies such as client-centered therapy, person-centered expressive arts therapy, emotional support animals, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy apply humanistic psychology principles of unconditional positive regard, self-actualization, and self-fulfillment. Graduate programs specializing in humanistic psychology continue to operate, particularly at institutions like Saybrook University and the Humanistic Psychology Institute, though they are not as common as they were in the 1960s and 1970s.
Humanistic psychology leader and recent APA presidential candidate Kirk Schneider has released numerous publications that apply existential concepts to social healing and democracy dialogs. Members of the Society for Humanistic Psychology took a stand against APA ethics violations and led the resolution that ended psychologists’ participation and collusion with torture during the Bush administration.
Common Misconceptions
Humanistic psychology is not inherently anti-scientific, though it is often portrayed this way. While humanistic psychologists rejected reductionist experimentation in the tradition of the physical sciences because it missed the “whole” human being, there was an insistence on a humanistic research program. This program has been largely qualitative, but there exist a number of quantitative research strains within humanistic psychology, including research on happiness, self-concept, meditation, and the outcomes of humanistic psychotherapy.
A meta-analysis suggests that humanistic psychotherapies have substantial effect sizes and are equally effective or more effective than other major approaches to psychotherapy. The approach is evidence-based despite popular assumptions to the contrary.
Humanistic psychology is not simply “being nice” or uncritically accepting everything a client says. Unconditional positive regard does not mean approval of all behaviors—it means accepting the person’s fundamental worth while still engaging critically with their experience.
It is also not synonymous with New Age spirituality or self-help culture, though the 1960s counterculture adopted some of its language. Humanistic psychology fit well with the countercultural movement of the 1960s, but the academic discipline predated and outlasted those associations.
How to Begin
For those seeking therapy, look for practitioners trained in person-centered therapy, emotion-focused therapy, or Gestalt therapy. The American Psychological Association’s Division 32 (Society for Humanistic Psychology) maintains directories of practitioners.
For study, begin with primary texts: Carl Rogers’ On Becoming a Person (1961) and Abraham Maslow’s Toward a Psychology of Being (1962) remain essential. Rollo May’s Love and Will (1969) offers a more existential lens. For contemporary perspectives, Kirk Schneider’s The Handbook of Humanistic Psychology (2001) provides comprehensive grounding.
Academic programs in humanistic and transpersonal psychology are available at Saybrook University, the California Institute of Integral Studies, and Duquesne University. Many counseling psychology programs integrate humanistic principles even without explicit specialization.
The Journal of Humanistic Psychology and the Society for Humanistic Psychology host conferences and publish ongoing research for those interested in scholarly engagement.