How does the Humanistic and Experiential psychological approach fit into the understanding of the self? By definiton this approach aims to explore what it is to be a human being in totality. The emphasis is that people are capable of self awareness, that they have the power to choose and direct their own actions, guided by their own purpose. each person is a unique individual and should be valued as such, this is at the heart of Humanistic psychology.

To highlight the specific areas of focus that the Humanistic approach concentrates on, 3 different accounts of persons are considered. each life account presents a different perspective on the nature, form and variety of being a person in a social world.

Liv Ullman: Liv Ullman is a succesful Norwegian film star that made an impact in the glamorous world of Hollywood. The extract points to her being conscious of her reality, especially of how she is perceived by those around her, especially from outward appearances. Liv talks about whether Hollywood will accept her natural look, implying that she is aware of her body as a type of commodity locked in a market of looks. More important and relevant to Humanistic

Critical and Experimental Focus: Whereas the Humanistic approach focuses on the study of personal and social life in the actualities of lived experiences, the experimental approach purports the view that understanding human behaviour is best done through controlled empirical investigations. In the case of the life accounts given, this approach would examine the connection between one variable and another eg. with Leonard, measures could be initiated to examine the level of and association of his life restrictions to feelings of intense inner violence and anger.

Roland Barthes: In the case of Roland Barthes, his description of his life is presented in written and photographic form. From his account he is very conscious of the way others perceive him. This is notable with his reference to his left-handedness becoming an issue, rather than a difference between himself and others. Through his photograph's Barthes gives an example of the conscious reality that he lives in: holiday beach, lecturing and relaxing with friends. His comments on the photos give an idea of his sense of self (individuality). This is further highlighted with the values he places on different experiences eg. his list of likes and dislikes, projects a sense of uniqueness. There is also the quality of reflexiveness that comes across in Barthes account, as h

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