Carl Rogers and His Contribution to Psychology

Abstract

This paper explains how Carl Rogers has had an impact on psychology. Rogers had a major influence not only on psychology but in other fields as well. He was a humanist thinker and worked in client-centered therapy (1951). Roger is ranked number six out of the top one hundred illustrious psychologists of the twentieth century. A result of Rogers’s work was a psychological theory and to prove his clinical work, he wrote sixteen books as well as other articles to follow.

He hypothesized that if a person was to live a life that they wanted, they must have a balance. In later years, he widened his research to apply to other appeals.

Rogers once said, “When I look at the world I’m pessimistic, but when I look at people I am optimistic.” During his research time, he discovered that there was an inconsistency between “traditional” methods of clinical treatments in therapy between relationships. He believed to remain excellent contact between therapist and client, there must be positive interactions.

Rogers had a different way of doing things, unlike those like Sigmund Freud, who degraded the client, as result, created an incompatible connection. Rogers believed that anyone could achieve whatever they set their mind to. His theory was that congruence was dependent on unconditional positive regard. If a person whose belief in themselves is not proportional to how they felt, then the ugly truth would hit them. To reach full potential, certain factors must be satisfied. Thus, begins his model of humanistic psychology.

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Rogers has expanded his work to aid towaaidta theory of personality, education, cross-cultural relations, interpersonal relations, nursing as well as others. One area known as the Phenomenal Field consisted of perceived reality, which is when the prime concern is of what a person understands or thinks is true rather than what is real. This is where the counseling starts. Rogers believed that a person’s purpose was to find balance within their lives. Self-actualization (1959) was to reach one’s fullest potential. This is where the congruency needed to happen. Rogers made it clear that every individual has a very distinctive personality, causing the development in a variety of ways. He found commonalities between self-aware individuals that sought to achieve a “good life.” What was a good life? They were things easily able to grasp within self-actualizing them. It was a person’s “ideal self.” Rogers believed that we behave the way we do base on how we look at the situation, “As no one else can know how we perceive, we are the best experts on ourselves.” Also, according to Rogers, we behave or feel in ways that would reflect our self-image or how we would like to see ourselves. The closer we are to being or becoming who we want to make us more congruent, lifting our self-worth.

Humanistic psychology has been a big hit and has impacted mainstream psychology as well as American culture to the point that the field has suffered from forgetting what it is. Today, because of where Rogers’s research has brought us, we are still able to discuss and help others within therapy or counseling. Recently, his theory is expanding in interest. Many techniques are redefined within their practices and are being used in today’s world of psychology. Such include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Positive Psychology. With that being said, society has begun to adapt to this theory from Rogers, making it easier to help others mentally and/or physically with whatever it is they are trying to achieve with their selves.

References

1. Clay, Rebecca A. “A Renaissance for Humanistic Psychology.” Monitor on Psychology, American Psychological Association, Sept. 2002, www.apa.org/monitor/sep02/renaissance.aspx.
2. Kreiman, Gabriel. “Revisiting Carl Rogers Theory of Personality.” Journal Psyche, 2010, journalpsyche.org/revisiting-carl-rogers-theory-of-personality/.
3. McLeod, Saul. “Saul McLeod.” Simply Psychology, Simply Psychology, 1 Jan. 1970, www.simplypsychology.org/carl-rogers.html.