Psychoanalytic Versus Humanistic Approach

This article compares the psychoanalytic approach, developed by Sigmund Freud, with the humanistic approach in psychology. It discusses the concepts and techniques used in each approach, as well as their focus and goals. The psychoanalytic approach aims to uncover unconscious motives and conflicts, while the humanistic approach focuses on self-actualization and personal growth. The article also explores the differences in treatment and the target issues addressed by each approach.

Running head: PSYCHOANALYTIC VERSUS HUMANISTIC APPROACH
PSYCHOANALYTIC VERSUS HUMANISTIC APPROACH
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Psychoanalytic approach was developed first by Sigmund Freud, in order to analyze
human behavior in relation to the human unconscious. During development of this theory -
the mind was used to be divided into conscious and the unconscious (Bargh, 2014).
According to this approach, the forgotten memories of childhood are stored in the
unconscious and this ‘unconscious’ continue to shape the human behavior after many years
(Mannoni, 2015). The unconscious thoughts, ideas, drives and memories continue to
chaperone what we think and how we react to conflicts, even to the day (Wittels, 2016).
According to this approach, the personality of a human being is highly influenced by the
events happening in the childhood (Lear, 2015). According to Freud, the events experienced
in the childhood leave a deep impression on person and when these events are forgotten or
repressed with passing time – they become a part of the unconscious. There are certain
defense mechanism of the human mind that help us forget what is painful. In psychoanalysis
approach, this long forgotten ‘information’ from the unconscious is bought to consciousness
in order help people get a release from traumatic emotions, repressed emotions. This process
is known as catharsis that aid the subjects, find a transformation in their lives. The
aforementioned defense mechanisms separate the consciousness from the ‘agonizing’
memories of the unconsciousness. But by the process of catharsis, the reconciliation can be
bought between the repressed emotions and person who is suffering from it. Different
techniques like free association, dream analysis are used in understanding of unconscious
motives and drives and the same are used to treat issues like depression, anxiety of the
subject. The important components of this approach strives to understand the Id, ego and
superego. Id is the part of the personality that contains the basic urges, the drives and the
motives. The ego part of the personality must aid to make a human in a rational way, to act in
accordance with the demands of the reality. The final development of personality is superego
which blends our thoughts with the moral standards passed on to us by society and our

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parents. Freud’s theories focusses just on memories of aggression, sexual drives encountered
by an individual at childhood stage and this psychoanalytic theory is deeply interrelated with
the psychosexual stages of development. Erik Erikson’s stages of development is the further
development of psycho- analytic stages of development.
The humanistic theory on the other hand deals with ideas like ‘self – actualization’,
‘unconditional positive regard’, ‘hierarchy of needs’, ‘free will’, ‘peak experiences’ and
‘peak experiences’. The hierarchy of needs, devised by Abraham Maslow is a major
cornerstone humanistic approach. All the ideas and concepts encompassed in Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs starts from the fulfilling of physiological needs, followed by ‘safety needs’
that includes the need for personal security, resources, property and health needs. This is then
followed by love and belonging needs which is the need for friendship, family, intimacy and
sense of affectionate bonds. The belonging needs in the Maslow’s hierarchy is followed by
the stage of esteem needs where a person strives for self-esteem, social recognition, respect,
freedom and strength. The last stage of Maslow’s humanistic theory of needs focusses on
‘self-actualization’ like any other humanistic theories. The humanistic approaches focusses
on treating the self-identity, social identity issues of the individuals that often results in
emotional and social problems.
The major difference between psychoanalytic approach and the humanistic approach
in psychology is that the former intends to procure information from the unconscious
(information as in forgotten or repressed memories of childhood) in order to solve the present
life conflicts while the former approach, that is the humanistic approach involves the idea of
coming in touch with the higher self in order solve the social identity and self-identity issues
(Wong, 2017). Psychoanalytic theories focus on understanding the internal hidden motives of
the unconscious where one do not generally have access to but the techniques such as free
association, dream analysis are the important tool that can help surfacing the unconscious to

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conscious, surpassing the defense mechanisms created over the years between the conscious
and the unconscious. Humanistic approaches as given by Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers
focus on the need of every individual for ‘self-actualization’ through a series of stages
fulfilling one’s needs (physical, emotional and spiritual) in order to understand and come in
touch with our higher selves in order to gain the highest realization of human life – that is
self-actualization (Cox & Curtis 2016). While the psychoanalytic theory deals more with the
childhood memories related to childhood traumas and applies the hidden drives and motives
of an individual to fight out or counter the human present lives conflicts, the humanistic
approaches deal with the more human and spiritual side of human growth (Rowan, 2016).
While humanistic approach promote personal growth, psychoanalytic theory is targeted to
cure psychological illnesses such as depression and anxiety. In humanistic theory – the
improvement is bought by taking self-responsibility of one’ own actions and feelings, by
accepting one’s truest self, through self-efficacy, through an achievement of one’s self
concept but in psycho- analytic approach – improvement is achieved by bringing unconscious
motives or conflicts into a conscious awareness. A psychoanalyst provide interpretations of
conflicts, unconscious, repression, memories and dreams while the humanistic
psychotherapist given an understanding of environment in which personal growth and
professional growth can occur. The content of humanistic therapy is conscious feelings, ideal
self and actually self while the content used in psycho analytic therapy is unconscious
thoughts (Abrams, 2015). The most important these two major forces of psychology is the
fact that psycho analytic approach dives deep into the past of the individual in an attempt to
re–evoke that is hidden, repressed and forgotten and put in to the unconscious by the defense
mechanisms and the humanistic approach focus on understanding the fulfilled and unfulfilled
needs of human beings and to encourage the subjects to understanding the greater values of
life and a higher self – understanding. The humanistic approach motivates and aid the

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subjects towards a self-development, self-efficacy, self-independence and freedom of thought
towards achievement of personal and professional goals in the future.
References
Abrams, B. (2015). Humanistic approaches. Music therapy handbook, 148-160.
Bargh, J. A. (2014). Our unconscious mind. Scientific American, 310(1), 30-37.
Cox, C. E., & Curtis, J. R. (2016). Using technology to create a more humanistic approach to
integrating palliative care into the intensive care unit. American journal of respiratory
and critical care medicine, 193(3), 242-250.
Lear, J. (2015). Freud. Routledge.
Mannoni, O. (2015). Freud: The theory of the unconscious. Verso Books.
Wittels, F. (2016). Sigmund Freud: His personality, his teaching and his school.
Wong, P. T. (2017). Meaning-centered approach to research and therapy, second wave
positive psychology, and the future of humanistic psychology. The Humanistic
Psychologist, 45(3), 207.