0390435333.pdf

Feist−Feist: Theories of

Personality, Seventh

Edition

III. Humanistic/Existential

Theories

11. Rogers:
    Person−Centered Theory

© The McGraw−Hill^345

Companies, 2009

so too do human beings. All organisms actualize themselves, but only humans can
become self-actualizing. Humans are different from plants and animals primarily
because they have self-awareness. To the extent that we have awareness, we are
able to make free choices and to play an active role in forming our personalities.
Rogers’s theory is also high on teleology,maintaining that people strive with
purpose toward goals that they freely set for themselves. Again, under proper ther-
apeutic conditions, people consciously desire to become more fully functioning,
more open to their experiences, and more accepting of self and others.
Rogers placed more emphasis on individual differences and uniquenessthan
on similarities. If plants have individual potential for growth, people have even
greater uniqueness and individuality. Within a nurturant environment, people can
grow in their own fashion toward the process of being more fully functioning.
Although Rogers did not deny the importance of unconscious processes, his
primary emphasis was on the ability of people to consciouslychoose their own
course of action. Fully functioning people are ordinarily aware of what they are
doing and have some understanding of their reasons for doing it.
On the dimension of biological versus social influences,Rogers favored the lat-
ter. Psychological growth is not automatic. In order to move toward actualization,
one must experience empathic understanding and unconditional positive regard
from another person who is genuine or congruent. Rogers firmly held that, although
much of our behavior is determined by heredity and environment, we have within
us the capacity to choose and to become self-directed. Under nurturant conditions,
this choice “always seems to be in the direction of greater socialization, improved
relationships with others” (Rogers, 1982, p. 8).
Rogers (1982) did not claim that, if left alone, people would be righteous,
virtuous, or honorable. However, in an atmosphere without threat, people are free
to become what they potentially can be. No evaluation in terms of morality applies
to the nature of humanity. People simply have the potential for growth, the need
for growth, and the desire for growth. By nature, they will strive for completion
even under unfavorable conditions, but under poor conditions they do not realize
their full potential for psychological health. However, under the most nurturant and
favorable conditions, people will become more self-aware, trustworthy, congruent,
and self-directed, qualities that will move them toward becoming persons of to-
morrow.

Key Terms and Concepts

• The formative tendencystates that all matter, both organic and inorganic,
  tends to evolve from simple to more complex forms.


• Humans and other animals possess an actualization tendency:that is, the
  predisposition to move toward completion or fulfillment.


• Self-actualizationdevelops after people evolve a self-system and refers to
  the tendency to move toward becoming a fully functional person.

Chapter 11 Rogers: Person-Centered Theory 339