Question

Razia is unhappy with her career despite having a stable job and a good salary. According to the Humanistic theory of personality, what could be the reason for her dissatisfaction?

Answer 1

According to the humanistic theory, especially Carl Rogers' concept of the self, Razia's dissatisfaction might stem from a gap between her “real self” and her “ideal self”. The theory suggests that when individuals' self-perceptions do not align with their true potential or inner desires, they experience incongruence, leading to feelings of frustration or discontent.

Lack of self-actualisation – inability to satisfy her potential to the fullest; Razia may feel that her current job doesn’t fulfil her true aspirations or allow her to grow personally. As when social conditions are positive, self-concept and self-esteem are high. In contrast, when social conditions are negative, self-concept and self-esteem are low.