Carl Rogers and Unconditional Positive Regard

What it means

Initial Study

Evidence

Sense of Autonomy

College Students

• asked whether or not parents love was perceived to be conditional on their actions
• raised conditionally led to more compliance but also more resentment, feelings of guilt

• Positive conditional regard
• worked in the short-run, but not the long-run
• Negative conditional regard
• did not work at all, and led to even more feelings of bitterness towards parents

• Positive conditional regard is better than negative conditional regard, but still leads to harmful results

• Does not matter whether the parents loves the child unconditionally, it matters how the child perceives the love

High School Freshmen

• asked questions about positive conditional regard and negative conditional regard
• both led to the children complying, sense of internal compulsion, and suppression of negative emotions
• Negative conditional regard also led to resentment towards parents

Unconditional and Conditional

Positive Regard

• unconditional parenting helps children develop autonomy
• the children learn how to take responsibility and make better decisions for themselves
• how to parent:
• discuss with the child why an activity or behavior is not good
• allow alternatives
• acknowledge their point of view

Conditions of Worth

Regard: refers to being loved and accepted for who one is

2 types

• Conditional: Is given only under specific circumstances (causes perception that unless the child feels or behaves as parents desire, love will be withheld)

• Unconditional: Is not contingent on the child's specific behavior a parent can limit a child's behavior by objecting to the behavior and not disapproving of the child's feelings.

• living in terms of and by the values of others
• CAUSE: when children are punished for doing behaviors they want but their parents deem bad
• leads to an inconsistent self image
• Rogers believed that this will then lead to the need for therapy to give the unconditional love that was not provided in childhood

Three Major Events

1.) boy setting fires

2.) revisiting an interview

3.) counseling the mother of his client, letting her take the lead

How does this Affect our Personality

Negative effects

Positive effects

• Risk takers
• Don't consider the consequences of their actions

• more empathetic
• congruence with self-image
• genuineness
• overall goal is a sense of autonomy

Carl Rogers and Unconditional Positive Regard

Carl Rogers Cont..

• 1931
• Received PhD
• Joined staff of the Rochester Guidance Center
• Transferred to multiple schools and worked as a psychology professor in the 40s

Tarzan

Carl Rogers

"A child has two basic needs. The need for positive regard and the need for positive self-regard"

-Carl Rogers

• Born - 1902 in Oak Park, Illinois
• Moved to a farm when he was 12
• Went to University of Wisconsin where he planned to study agriculture
• 2 years later he decided to prepare for the ministry

Conclusion

• unconditional positive regard is beneficial to the development of a child's sense of self, independence, and decision making skills

• children raised this way will experience less dislike towards their parents, less guilt, and will be more empathetic

Questions

1.) Define unconditional positive regard and give an example.

2.) What are some of the benefits of unconditional positive regard throughout childhood?

3.) Do you think you were raised with conditional or unconditional positive regard?

Danielle Fallette

Ashley Perreault

Eric Resseguie

David Chappell

Questions

1.) Define unconditional positive regard and give an example.2.) What are some of the benefits of unconditional positive regard throughout childhood?3.) Do you think you were raised with conditional or unconditional positive regard?