PSYC 410 – Humanism and Humanistic Psychology

Course Description

Florence was one of the most important centers of Renaissance Humanism. Florence was also the birthplace of one of the most important theories of Humanistic Psychology: Psychosynthesis.
Both Renaissance Humanism and Humanistic Psychology focus onfree will, human motivation, and enhancing individual growth. Renaissance Humanism is a way of thinking and living that emphasizes the actions of human beings and stresses the fact that human beings are capable of changing the world.

Similarly, Humanistic Psychology is a psychological perspective that arose in the mid-20th century in response to two theories: Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis and B. F. Skinner’s behaviorism. Abraham Maslow argued that there was a need for a “third force” in psychology. Humanistic psychology begins with the existential assumptions that people have free will and are motivated to achieve their potential and self-actualize. Psychosynthesis, which is a part of Humanistic Psychology, is an original theory and a model of a psyche developed in Florence, Italy. As an inclusive approach to human growth, Psychosynthesis dates from 1911 and the early work of Italian psychiatrist Roberto Assagioli. Assagioli says that Psychosynthesis is, by its very nature, always open to new approaches to human development..

Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes

A student who successfully completes this course is expected to:

• be able to grasp and compare the similarities between the periods leading to Renaissance Humanism and Humanistic Psychology (change of paradigm, necessity of a new vision of the world and the human being’s place in it);
• identify and describe the humanistic approach to psychology, which focuses on the whole person. A person is “in the process of becoming,” which places the conscious human experience as the nucleus of psychological growth;
• analyze and apply the following:

1 – the theories of the major Humanistic Psychologists (Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, Viktor Frankl, Roberto Assagioli);

2 – the theory and methods of Psychosynthesis (the most important school of Italian humanistic psychology) and its founder Dr. Roberto Assagioli.

3 – the new tendencies of recent research in humanistic psychology (transpersonal psychology, mindfulness etc.).

Course descriptions may be subject to occasional minor modifications at the discretion of the instructor.

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