Psychological Development and Psychological Health

Summary

For humanistic psychologists the psychological development of a person, the exploitation of his or her potential, is synonymous with progress towards a mentally healthy state. Both Rogers and Maslow were interested in defining the nature of this state and identifying its attributes. Rogers’ views are explained in the first half of this chapter and Maslow’s in the second.

In order to contrast the condition of mental health with some of the problems posed by mental immaturity, psychological processes at work in each of these two states will be explained.