Read the passage below and answer the questions
Rishabh often feels dissatisfied with himself, despite receiving appreciation from his family and friends. According to Carl Rogers, such dissatisfaction arises when there is an incongruence between an ideal and real self of an individual. Rogers proposed that individuals have an inherent tendency towards growth and fulfillment known as self-actualization. However, this growth can be hindered when an individual receives conditional positive regard and when acceptance depends on certain fixed expectations. If this continues, individuals like Rishabh may deny or distort their lived experiences. This in turn can harm their self-concept and psychological well-being.
Which approach to personality is reflected in Rogers’s theory?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Humanistic
Option (1) Humanistic — Correct. Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow developed the humanistic perspective on personality. Rogers’s central idea is the fully functioning person: people are innately good, fulfilment drives personality development, and they almost always choose adaptive, self-actualising behaviour.
Option (2) Behaviouristic — Incorrect. The behavioural approach views personality as the response of an individual to the environment, learnt through conditioning and reinforcement. It does not rest on the self or on growth.
Option (3) Cognitive — Incorrect. A cognitive view would explain personality through a person’s thoughts and beliefs. Rogers built his theory round the self and its growth towards self-actualisation.
Option (4) Psychodynamic — Incorrect. The psychodynamic approach of Freud explains personality through unconscious conflicts among the id, ego and superego, a far less hopeful picture than Rogers’s.
NCERT (2025-26): “Humanistic Approach … Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow have particularly contributed to the development of humanistic perspective on personality. We will briefly examine their theories. The most important idea proposed by Rogers is that of a fully functioning person. He believes that fulfilment is the motivating force for personality development. People try to express their capabilities, potentials and talents to the fullest extent possible. There is an inborn tendency among persons that directs them to actualise their inherited nature. Rogers makes two basic assumptions about human behaviour. One is that behaviour is goal-directed and worthwhile. The second is that people (who are innately good) will almost always choose adaptive, self-actualising behaviour.…” |