Humanistic Psychology, Positive Psychology, and the Science of Happiness — Summary of Chapter 12
Humanistic Psychology, Positive Psychology, and the Science of Happiness — Summary of Chapter 12 Chapter 12 of The Personality Puzzle by David C. Funder brings together humanistic psychology, existentialism, and positive psychology to explore how awareness, meaning, and growth shape the human experience. This chapter highlights how psychology can move beyond dysfunction to understand what makes life worth living. The Foundations of Humanistic Psychology Humanistic psychology emerged in response to behaviorism and psychoanalysis, focusing instead on human uniqueness, personal meaning, and the capacity for growth. It rejects the idea that human behavior should be studied using the same methods as natural sciences, emphasizing phenomenology —the study of an individual’s subjective experience. Existentialism and the Search for Meaning Influenced by existential philosophy, humanistic psychology explores how individuals face the challenges of freedom, mortality, and meaninglessn...