What is the primary goal of humanistic psychology?

The primary goal of humanistic psychology is to emphasize self-actualization, which refers to the realization or fulfillment of one's talents and potential. Humanistic psychologists, such as Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow, focus on the idea that individuals have an inherent drive toward growth and self-improvement. They believe that understanding a person's experience and fostering an environment that promotes personal growth can lead to the individual reaching their highest potential. This approach values subjective experience and emphasizes the importance of personal choice and responsibility, making it distinct from other psychological theories that might focus more on pathology or external behavior.

In contrast, the other options represent various approaches within psychology that do not encapsulate the essence of humanistic psychology's focus on personal growth and self-actualization. Analyzing childhood experiences is more aligned with psychodynamic theories, exploring unconscious motivations pertains to Freudian concepts, and conditioning behavior through rewards is a foundational principle in behaviorism. Each of these areas, while important in their own right, reflects a different understanding of human behavior that does not center on the concepts of personal growth inherent to humanistic psychology.