According to Rogers, people try to express their capabilities, potent…

The correct answer is Option (3) → Fully functioning person

Option (1) Ideal self — Incorrect. Rogers suggests that each person also has a concept of ideal self, the self that a person would like to be. When the real self and the ideal self correspond, a person is generally happy; a discrepancy between them often results in unhappiness and dissatisfaction. The ideal self is a picture of the self one wishes to be, not the urge to express one’s capabilities, potentials and talents to the fullest.

Option (2) Healthy person — Incorrect. The humanistic theorists describe a healthy person as one who is aware of herself/himself, lives in the here-and-now and does not dwell in the past or the future. It is a description of healthy personality in general, not Rogers’ name for the urge to express one’s potential.

Option (3) Fully functioning person — Correct. The most important idea proposed by Rogers is that of a fully functioning person. Rogers believes that fulfilment is the motivating force for personality development: people try to express their capabilities, potentials and talents to the fullest extent possible, and an inborn tendency directs them to actualise their inherited nature. A person who does this is functioning fully.

Option (4) Well adjusted person — Incorrect. The humanistic theorists say that a healthy personality lies not in mere adjustment to society. Being well adjusted is about fitting the demands around us, not about expressing one’s own talents to the fullest.