Unconditional Positive Self-Regard, Intrinsic Aspirations, and Authenticity: Pathways to Psychological Well-Being

Abstract

Unconditional positive self-regard (UPSR) is regarded by humanistic psychologists as an important determinant of well-being. However, until recently it has received little empirical attention. The current study aims to examine the association between unconditional positive self-regard and several key constructs consistent with the ideas of well-being within contemporary positive psychology. Study 1 is a confirmatory factor analysis of the UPSR scale. The statistically significant best fit for the data was a related two-factor model. Study 2 used the two-factors of the UPSR scale to explore the association with intrinsic aspirations.The study showed positive self-regard was statistically significantly positively correlated with the intrinsic aspirations total scale and with each of the separate scores for IA-importance and IA-chance. Unconditionality of regard was statistically significantly negatively correlated with IA-importance but was not statistically significantly correlated to either the IA-total or IA-chance scores. Study 3 considers the association between UPSR, intrinsic aspirations and authenticity. Unconditionality of regard was statistically significantly positively correlated with the authenticity scale score. Only IA-chance scores showed a statistically significant and positive correlation with authenticity. The remaining correlations between intrinsic aspirations and authenticity were not statistically significant. Results call for further empirical attention to UPSR within positive psychology research.Unconditional positive self-regard, intrinsic aspirations and authenticity: pathways to psychological wellbeing

Dispositional authenticity, facilitativeness, femininity ideology, and dyadic relationship functioning in opposite‐gender couples: Actor‐partner interdependence analysis

“…The values from significant others, also called conditions of worth, are adopted as their own and can be maintained until adulthood. Instead of acting on their organismic valuing process, they gradually alienate their symbolized awareness from their internal experience and act in accord with the conditions of worth (Murphy et al, 2020). Perceived conditional regard has been found to be detrimental to a range of psychological, behavioural, and relational outcomes, such as relationship quality, adjustment, and school dropout (e.g., Itzhaki et al, 2018; Kanat‐Maymon et al, 2016).…”

Tapping the humanistic potential of self-determination theory: Awakening to paradox.

“…Further, Rogers’s organismic valuing process (OVP), locus of evaluation, necessary and sufficient conditions for growth, and conditional self-regard directly parallel SDT’s notions of the sources of motivation, perceived locus of causality (PLOC), basic needs, and contingent self-esteem, respectively. Other authors have also singled out the merits of SDT amid a contemporary research landscape wherein humanistic principles are being systematically supported (e.g., Krieger, 2002; Murphy, Joseph, Demetriou, & Karimi-Mofrad, 2017; Sheldon & Kasser, 2001). Given SDT’s notable success as a program of research within this landscape, it is thus regrettable that there has not been more literature to discuss the specifically humanistic potential of SDT.…”

“…Given SDT’s notable success as a program of research within this landscape, it is thus regrettable that there has not been more literature to discuss the specifically humanistic potential of SDT. To illustrate, a search of The Humanistic Psychologist , Journal of Humanistic Psychology , Journal of Phenomenological Psychology , Journal of Humanistic Psychiatry , The Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology , Phenomenology & Practice , The Journal of Humanistic Counseling , and Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences in August 2017 resulted in only six published articles that appear to bear a concentration on SDT as such (i.e., Cooper, 2013; Murphy et al, 2017; Patterson & Joseph, 2007; Sheldon & Kasser, 2001; Watts, Cashwell, & Schweiger, 2004; Wichmann, 2011).…”