Humanistic Psychology (Essay Sample)

Running head: HUMANISTIC SPYCHOLOGY
Analyzing John Rambo from the Perspective of Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory
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Analyzing John Rambo from the Perspective of Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory
A Review of Humanistic Psychology
According to Stangor (2010), psychology is a scientific field that encompasses the study of human mind and behavior. As such, the ability to understand individuals at a personal level or in groups makes psychology an important element in solving society’s social issues. Psychology has many applications in the society. The discipline has a number of perspectives. They include structuralism, functionalism, psychoanalysis, and humanistic psychological perspectives. The perspectives are directed at solving psychological problems, particularly those associated with persons afflicted with mental and behavioral aberrations (Stangor, 2010).
Problem Statement
Humans experience "deficiency of needs" at one point or the other in their life. The occurrence deprives them the ability to achieve their full potential, making them anxious and tense. The deficiency may be due to absence of self-esteem, love, security, or friendship. The individual will not only experience physical aberration, but also feel anxious and tense throughout their life (Goud, 2008). In this paper, a humanistic approach is used to study and analyze the film "Rambo”. The film is a depiction of a classic example where humanistic psychology can be applied. John Rambo, a character in the film, will be the focus of this humanistic analysis.
Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs
Humanistic psychology was developed by Abraham Maslow in the 1950s. It has become an important element in the study of behaviorism and psychoanalysis. With the use humanistic approach, an individual is studied as whole and not as fragmented parts of their life (Goud, 2008). The approach is focused on the analysis of human needs based on different life stages. The stages include, among others, growth, self-actualization, death, and freedom. The approach can be used to reflect on the life of John Rambo. The needs of this character will be analyzed from the perspective of hierarchy of human needs.
A Brief Synopsis of the Film Rambo
In the first film, Rambo is not only portrayed as a tragic hero, but also as a victim of posttraumatic stress disorder. As a victim of posttraumatic disorder, Rambo finds it difficult to adjust to normal life. He has been subjected to torture during the Vietnam War (Stallone, 2006). In the next film, Rambo is displayed as one who wants to stay away from any sort of problems. However, he cannot stand the fact that his friends are in trouble. He is willing to do anything so as to save his friends, whom he loves so much. The violence exhibited in the first film makes people fear him. However, he is depicted as an experienced person due to his experiences during the Vietnam War. He uses his tactics gained in the war to outdo his enemies in the dense forest (Stallone, 2006).
In the film, Rambo is depicted as having skills that makes him survive all odds and challenges during combat. For instance, his skills in hand-to-hand and guerilla combat depict him as an experienced soldier during the rescue mission (Stallone, 2006).
Categories of Human Needs
Overview
There are five categories of human needs as stipulated by Maslow in his theory. They include physiological, safety and the need for love and belonging. The others are esteem and self-actualization. The needs are displayed in a pyramid, with the most fundamental displayed at the bottom, occupying the largest portion of the structure. The author of this paper will attempt to link these categories of needs with experiences of John Rambo in the film.
Physiological Needs
They are found at the bottom of the ladder. According to Maslow, these needs are fundamental for human survival. Failure to meet them will hinder the normal functioning of human body, result in deviation from the norm. Maslow contends that these needs should be the first priority of any individual (Goud, 2008). In the film, John Rambo tries to survive by living in the forest. He faces a myriad of challenges, ranging from food to shelter (Stallone, 2006).
Failure to meet these needs causes Rambo to go experience a posttraumatic stress disorder. The disorder makes it difficult to cope with normal life, and this is seen in the film when he engages in frequent acts of violence. Rambo’s posttraumatic disorder is brought about by his lingering memories of the war zone in Vietnam. During the war, John Rambo was tortured and mistreated by his captors (Stallone, 2006). Rambo needs to satisfy these basic needs before he can focus on the next level of human needs; need for safety.
Need for Safety
Maslow contends that when physical needs of a person are satisfied, their behavior is distinctively defined. For instance, lack of physical safety as a result of war or any kind of discomfort, like violence and disaster, may lead to posttraumatic disorders. As such, safety needs manifest very well on personal, financial, as well as health issues. When all these are met, the individual can progress to the next level (Goud, 2008). Rambo faces these needs when he is exposed to dangers during the war and in the forest. He needs to fight to secure his physical security.
The Need to Love and Belong
The need is interpersonal. People experience the need to belong at individual level. In the case of Rambo, he suffers as a victim of ostracism, where he is regarded as a threat to the society. He is alienated from other people in the society. He feels like he does not belong. When he returns home from war, people perceive him as a killer and tend to avoid his company (Stallone, 2006).
John Rambo feels the need to belong as he tries to adjust to life outside Vietnam. Ostracism in the case of Rambo is an example of social rejection. As a result, social anxiety is exhibited in Rambo’s life. In some scenes in the film, a sense of belonging is exhibited by the relationship between Colonel Samuel and Rambo (Stallone, 2006).
According to Maslow, human beings need to be loved in all spheres of their life. Colonel intervened to have Rambo released from prison. He is the only one who understands Rambo. Rambo understands h...