Identify and evaluate 2 key assumptions (use other perspectives to make evaluative comments) of the humanistic perspective.

The two key assumptions of the humanistic perspective are that subjective experiences of individual are important, and that humans are different from animals. Humanists think that subjective experiences are extremely important because only the individual can explain the meaning of the behavior, and not its observer. This is what makes a person individual. They argue that no one is objective, therefore objective observers are meaningless. This assumption opposes the behaviorists who claim that behaviors are studied through observation, because a person’s mind cannot reveal any solid evidence, unlike physical observations. They assume that environment is the main influence of behaviors, not freewill.

The second assumption points out that human are different from animals. Humanists claim that human are far more intelligent than animals, and therefore will not share the same behaviors with animals under the same circumstance, because human are much smarter than animals. They criticize the behaviorists’ theories from observing behaviors of rats, dogs, and pigeons. Humanists don’t agree with building conclusion about human behaviors with evidences produced from animal experimentation. For example, Tolman’s behavioristic experiment on rats maze is an attempt to explain the behavior of living things in which the result is applied to human case. A humanistic assumption will argue that human might behave differently because they are capable of thinking more complexly in solving problem, therefore they don’t think what rats do can be applied to human.

~Daniel

2 assumptions of the humanistic perspective

The two key assumptions of the humanistic perspective are that behavior must be understood in terms of subjective experience ofd individual, and that they are not limited by either the past or present situation. Humanists think that subjective experiences are extremely important because only the individual can explain the meaning of the behavior, and not its oserver.. Besides, they say people act from their freewill, which is determined by past experience. They argue that no one is objective, therefore objective observers are meaningless. This assumption opposes the behaviorists who claim that behaviors are studied through observation, because a person’s mind cannot reveal any solid evidence, unlike physical observations. They say that environment is the main influence of behaviors, not freewill. I’m goin to sleep now…it’s already more than an hour of tomrrow…

~Daniel