Introduction:
 Humanistic psychologists are concerned with helping people to
become fully functioning, and in particular to actualize their potentials to
have a rich and accurate experience of life. This lesson will introduce us
to the two most influential humanistic psychologists: Carl Rogers and
Abraham Maslow. In their writings, both Rogers and Maslow painted vivid
portraits of what a fully functioning, self-actualizing person is like. In
particular, both Rogers and Maslow described self-actualizing persons as
experiencing themselves, others, and life with greater clarity and
acceptance, and consequently as acting with greater spontaneity,
self-directedness, and wisdom. Humanistic psychologists suggest the key to
realizing these potentials is to be open to experience. But that is easier
said than done. So, in the next lesson we will examine what humanistic
psychologists think are the main barriers to being open and
self-actualizing, and how people can surmount those obstacles.
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