Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychology: A Historical and Biographical Sourcebook (Schools of Psychological Thought) [Hardcover]

Donald Moss (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0313291586 | ISBN-13: 978-0313291586 | Publication Date: January 30, 1999

An examination of four decades of research and practice in humanistic psychology, this work highlights the lasting contributions of humanistic psychology to the science of psychology and to the pursuit of personal and spiritual development. It explores the passions and goals of the founders and their vital legacy for the 21st century. Humanistic Psychology began as a movement of creative individuals who sought to remake psychology in the image of a fully alive and aware human being. Humanistic psychology emphasizes liberation from personal and social oppression and the pursuit of higher levels of human potential. Humanistic psychologists criticize scientific psychology for their emphasis on the measurement, prediction, and control of behavior, and protest the exclusion of such basic aspects of humanness as consciousness, values, freedom, love, and spirit from psychological investigation. This book will be of interest to undergraduate and graduate students and faculty in psychology as well as professionals in the field.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This collection of 30 essays surveys four decades of work in humanistic and transpersonal psychology in North America, beginning with the work of Abraham Maslow in the late 1950s. Editor Moss (director, behavioral health and primary care, Psychological Services Ctrs., MI) contributed a third of the essays, chiefly those covering the historical, cultural, scientific, and philosophical contexts of humanistic psychology. Other scholars explore schools and theories, including client-centered therapy, gestalt psychology, bodywork therapies, phenomenological psychology, feminist psychology, biofeedback, and Christian humanistic psychology. Transpersonal psychology receives less attention, though Arthur Hastings (Inst. of Transpersonal Psychology, Palo Alto, CA) has written a good introduction to developments in the field. A biographical section assesses the work of 17 key figures representing a cross-section of humanistic and transpersonal psychology. A useful resource for psychology collections in academic and large public libraries. (Index not seen.)?Lucille M. Boone, San Jose P.L., CA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“...an excellent work for pedagogic or introductory purposes, not only for professional and academic psychologists who seek to expand their intellectual horizons, but also as a complementary text for the classic introductory course in the history and systems of psychology.”–Journal of the History of Behavioral Sciences

“There is much information here for those studying humanistic and transpersonal psychology...”–Network

“This volume is an essential reference for anyone interested in humanistic psychology. Its comprehensive scope, inclusive of the history and philosophy of the humanistic approach, makes the volume invaluable for students as well as for expert scholars. Moss is to be commended for offering a volume that demonstrates the rich vital history as well as the contemporary relevance of humanistic psychology for researchers, theorists and practitioners.”–Frederick J. Wertz Professor of Psychology Fordham University

“More than ever before, conventional psychology courts the periphery of human experience. In its drive to appease technocratic interests, it seeks linear answers to multifaceted questions. It seeks purity where there is mystery; and it seeks expedience where there is struggle. This book shows that Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychologies, not only in the past, but presently, represent the strongest bulwark against the conventional tide, and the greatest hope of restoring depth, vitality, and relevance to a disabled profession.”–Kirk J. Schneider, Ph.D. Co-author (with Rollo May) of The Psychology of Existence: An Integrative, Clinical Perspective

“There is another issue that elevates Donald Moss' book to a level of burning relevance. In the past, most of the dominant psychological schools of thought have tended to trivialize myths, ethics, and issues of personal responsibility, discussing them in terms of social conditioning. But James Bugental has observed that when person and society clash, social change often results, bringing a renewed meaning to suffering, conflict, and grief, as well as to love, joy, and mutuality of relationships. Mainstream psychology was especially adamant in dismissing these concerns from the pristine atmosphere of the scientific laboratory and the controlled experiment. ...However, such books as this may redress this imbalance, and the demands of the times will quicken the rate at which the humanistic and transpersonal psychologies begin to play a greater role in academic as well as social discourse.”–Stanley Krippner, Professor of Psychology Saybrook Institute Graduate School, San Francisco

“This sourcebook is much needed in our field today, and I am delighted to have such a comprehensive and well-integrated resource available....Moss' book offers an updated, relevant look at these issues today, and provides a clear alternative for students and healthcare professionals.”–Ilene A. Serlin, Ph.D. ADTR Professor of Psychology, Saybrook Institute Immediate Past-President APA, Division 32

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press (January 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313291586
• ISBN-13: 978-0313291586
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #156,789 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)