Psychological influence on american humanist education
| Author | Lucian Radu |
| Position | Department of Foreign Languages, <I>Transilvania</I> University of Brasov |
| Pages | 107-114 |
Page 107
The way in which humanism, in all its aspects, is reflected in American education, is a very complex one, with particularly important consequences for the educational system in the United States.
The protests against the war in Vietnam were accompanied by a profound dissatisfaction against mass culture, bureaucracy, large corporations and industrialism. Individualism, personal integrity, and a human society were new targets of reform. This complex of ideas and feelings were known as the Anticulture[9] or Humanism because it opposes the social control and the supremacy of objects and things. Trying to establish the primacy of the self, especially in emotional and volitional matters, Humanism finds its allies in the philosophical movements from anarchism Zen. It includes existentialism, neomarxism, neohegelianism, Maoism, oriental philosophies, and existentialist psychology. Revolutionaries of the third world (Frantz Fanon, Cvane N. Crumah, Ernesto Che Guevara), have contributed to the movement ideology. Humanism has been used in educational theory and school reform by the so-called romantic reformists. The reform had two purposes: first, to discredit the public school by calling it a tool of the middle class, of an oppressive society, and by denying that it was motivated by democratic ideals and equality. The second purpose was to finish oppression in schools. The obligation to study, to respect authority, tests, grades, were all considered oppressions against the individual. Humanism is interested in the development of conscience.
It promotes values, subjectivity, emotions, personal identity, self-discoveryPage 108for broadening the human spirit. Regarding science and other subjects, they will be taught for personal significance, because their study contributes to a better understanding of self, and an increase of inspiration and imagination.
As has been mentioned humanism protests against the mechanical theories of mind. For the humanists, humanity lies in letting go inhibitions, gratifying impulses and desire. Taking into account that it celebrates subjectivity, individualism, pluralism and relativity, the psychological impact on humanist education is of great significance. For this reason we are going to present a historical background of humanistic psychology and its dominant trends.
Moss, in The Roots and Genealogy of Humanistic Psychology, presents a history of humanistic psychology, from its beginnings in ancient Greece, to its flourishing period in modern times [6]. And so the most representative moments of that period are illustrated.
In the nineteenth century, Kierkegaard demonstrated the role of high individual consciousness. Subjective individualities make personal choices, avoiding dependence on science and objectivity. They go from a state dominated by emotions to a state of understanding the whole humanity, and finally to a state of mystical union with the divinity.
Nietzsche, in the same century, explored ways in which an individual can transcend conventional values and constraints, becoming a 'superman'.
Buber, in the twentieth century, was concerned with the absurdities which individuals are facing because of their inhumanity, objectifying others and building selfish relationships with them. In exchange, Buber offered another type of relationship, the relationship I-you, relationship based on mutual sympathy, empathy, transfer of knowledge and feelings which induce a spiritual value to life.
Heidegger felt that people were able to create their opportunities to live better, starting from the phenomenological theory according to which the individual's vision on the world is influenced by historical events and that there is a need for reevaluation of this vision by reviewing it permanently, from the past and future perspective.
Sartre added to individual freedom the responsibility of our choices and actions. He considered that nothing can restrict us from reviewing our own visions and becoming what we want to become. Existentialist and phenomenological ideas are found in both confluent education and the education of conscience.
In The Handbook of Humanistic Psychology, where applications of humanist psychology are described in a variety of contexts in which emotions, intellect and body work together for self- actualization, J. Schneider noticed three dominant trends. Firstly, there is a positive tendency launched in 1998, at Martin E.F Seligman's urge, president of the American Psychology Association, who focuses on what helps people succeed in life, starting from the premise that affectivity is a support in solving existential problems, because it generates hope and optimism.
The second orientation is the transcendentalist one, based on spiritual traditions from Asia (Buddhism), its aim being to achieve high levels of awareness as alternative ways of connecting with thePage 109world. This direction is called the fourth psychological force. Transcendentalists encourage alternative ways of learning and knowledge based on intuition, feelings, thoughts and images, considering that the link between the rational and the non- rational is necessary for creative imagination.
A third trend is based on new discoveries in the field of neurology and genetics which suggest to humanists the idea that consciousness is a chemical and neuronal activity, and elements of personality such as 'sense of humor, romantic love, cooperation, and aesthetics, are genetically predetermined' [7].
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