A Neuroscientific Renaissance of Humanistic Psychology

Advances in cognitive neuroscience are creating a significant theoretical rapprochement between neuroscience and humanistic psychology. Since the decade of the brain, there has been a steady increase in neuroscientific research on characteristically humanistic topics such as selfhood, choice, and collaborative meaning making. Moreover, the fundamental postulates of humanistic psychology are playing a central role in a host of contemporary viewpoints within neuroscience. As a result, neuroscience is paving the way for a renewed appreciation of humanistic psychology. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the contemporary currents of neuroscientific thought that are most notably supportive of humanistic psychology’s general understanding of human existence. The theoretical rapprochement between neuroscience and humanistic psychology suggests that humanistic psychology may benefit from enhancing its developmental and multicultural aspects. Humanistic psychology stands to further benefit from the development of an integrated, distinctly humanistic neuroscience viewpoint.

Source: Journal of Humanistic Psychology - June 17, 2015 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: DeRobertis, E. M. Tags: Articles Source Type: research