Existential and humanistic theoretical approaches to human personality have transformed the psychological point of view so that the individual is more important than the cause of the behavior. The humanistic theory by Carl Rogers and the existential theory by Rollo May, place more emphasis on the present and future life experiences of the individual. The theories overlook the forgone experiences that caused the presently existing mental state. These theories describe how to attain and maintain psychological health and as such insist on the significance of psychological health. The theories as well highlight the unpleasant experiences faced by those who lack psychological health.
The humanistic theory assumes that individuals maintain their self-concept and have the natural tendency to progress in the direction of their full potential (Elkins, 2012) . Existential psychology, on the other hand, dwells on the realization of existence, or being in the world, the essence of humanity, how free will drives personal choices and avoiding emptiness (McLeod, 2015) . The theories describe how behavior affects situations and vice versa. Existential and humanistic theories of psychology have some similar personality factors. They as well have different ideas about the composition of personality. Both theories discuss the absence or presence of relationships at the interpersonal level, the functioning of one in an interpersonal relationship and interpersonal treatment of individuals. The theories, therefore, suggest that interpersonal relationships play a significant role in psychological health.
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Situational Behavior
The existential and humanistic theories have exclusive standpoints on situational behavior. One’s behavior may typically affect a situation, or the situation may affect the behavior. There are various factors worthy of consideration in looking at behavior at the situational level.
The humanistic theory and situational behavior
The humanistic approach asserts that individuals move progressively towards the realization of their full potential. This is to say that one’s self-concept ideally determines their way of reaction to various situations. The self-concept is composed of two selves according to the theory. The two are the ideal self and the organismic self. An individual’s self-concept may, however, not always be exact. The type of an individual that one wants to be is the ideal self while the experiences that may happen outside of the individual’s knowledge are the organismic self. One’s reaction to situations often coincides their individual self-concept. Lack of psychological health and incongruence occur when the individual behaves inconsistently with their self-concept (McLeod, 2015) .
The humanistic theory as well asserts that one’s response to a situation is at three levels of awareness; ignorance, distortion and accurate symbolism (Patterson & Joseph, 2007) . A lack of awareness or the existence of various other stimuli makes experiences to be ignored. Experiences that are consistent with the self-concept of the individual are accurately symbolizedand as such accepted openly. Distortion occurs when experiences are incongruent with the person’s self-concept and as such need to be assimilated into the self so as to reduce anxiety. The accuracy of these situations is however compromised.
Existential Theory of Personality and Situational Behavior
The concept of free will is prominent in existentialism. This is to say that the individual has a choice to take various measures in situations, including failure to act. Decisions made in the exercise of free will result inbehavioral experiences. The underlying formation that allows people to take certain choices and make decisions about the future is called intentionality. The situation determines the direction that intentionality leads to, in making a decision or taking action (McCann & Sato, 2000) . This is in concurrence with the humanistic theory because both of the theories do not ascribe to determinism. Determinism asserts that human behavior is a reaction to environmental characteristics and as such no one has real control over their mannerisms.
Anxiety, according to the existential approach, affects situational behavior. Anxiety is the feeling that one gets upon the realization that a valued aspect of their existence or the existence itself may be destroyed. This feeling is consistent with the awareness of the possibility of the end of existence at any time, an idea called nonbeing (Elkins, 2012) . The awareness that one can be , or exist in time and nature, creates the need for the realization that they can as well not exist or not be, therefore, nonbeing. Behavior in every situation is driven by these concepts as the individual seeks to exist to maintain psychological health.
Anxiety may occur either as neurotic or normal anxiety. Fear that is disproportionate to the situation at hand is called neurotic anxiety. Reacting to a situation with neurotic anxiety may result inprevention of experiences from reaching the awareness level. If situations do not reach the knowledge level then the person is deprived of the opportunity for learning, growth and development (Patterson & Joseph, 2007) . Normal anxiety is fear that is proportionate to the threat of the situation and is as such warranted. This fear can be faced consciously. Reacting to a situation with normal anxiety may have an instrumental and constructive effect on the development of the individual. The humanistic theory is consistent with this approach since anxieties have the potential to help one grow in the direction of their potential.
Personality Characteristics
The varying behaviors and thoughts of individuals dictate the factors that are personality characteristics. Different personality components are associated with different personality theories. People have various personality components.
The Humanistic Theory and Personality Characteristics
The previously discussed ideal and organismic selves that form self-concept are the components of personality development in the humanistic theory. The theory has the component that there are factors that played a role in the self-actualized person or one who is fully functioning.
Openness to new ideas and the determination to work through them is the first characteristic or component. Lack of openness to new experiences results in failure to attain one’s full potential since it keeps off experiences. The existential living is the second component. This characteristic emphasizesthe significance of being in the world, or existing, and is, therefore, concurrent with the existential theory. One can appreciate life as it happens, as they avoid preconceptions. This will happen if they are in touch with their environment and with themselves. A healthy personality needs one to have trust in their instincts and feelings. This limits incidences of incongruence and second-guessing. Creativity, though similar to openness according to the theory, includes the extra component of seeking, acceptance and adjustment to new experiences. One’s satisfaction with their life, a fulfilled life, is the last component (Elkins, 2012) .
Any events that occur with an individual are included in the personality components that the existential theory of psychology describes. All the contents of thoughts, memories, events, relationships, consciousness, fantasies and images among others, are significant in the personality development of the particular individual. Although existential and humanistic theories ascribe to the individuals progressive movement towards self-acceptance and self-actualization, the personality components that are significant to the theory are more general. These components include being present, being aware of the self, awareness itself and continued creation of existence (Holden, 1978) .
Interpersonal Relationships
Interpersonal relationships dictate how an individual relates to others and how other individuals relate to them. Psychological health is steered by strong interpersonal relationships. The existential and humanistic approaches to personality acknowledge the critical role of interpersonal relationships.
The Humanistic Theory and Interpersonal Relationships
Interpersonal relationships areimportant to an individual’s psychological health, according to the humanistictheory. The humanistic approach emphasizes the need for unconditional positive acknowledgment in all relationships, more so those that are therapeutic. Unconditional positive acknowledgement or regard is a reference to being accepting and warm to an individual, without reservations and evaluation. This total acceptance with no possessiveness makes one feel comfortable and, therefore, allows for personal development and growth (McCann & Sato, 2000) . Being empathetic to one another creates a mutual feeling of understanding without feeling judged. Achievement of psychological health and growth in the direction of self-actualization are boosted by the receipt of empathy and unconditional positive regard.
Conditions of worth are the opposite of unconditional and positive regard. One has to meet the expectations of others so as to be acceptedsince the conditions of worth are the basis of acceptance (Patterson & Joseph, 2007) . Individuals can only behave in the approved and standard way if relationships are built on conditions of worth. There can as such be no self-actualization.
Existential Theory and Interpersonal Relationships
As opposed to the humanistic theory, the existential theory of psychology has the viewpoint that individuals are autonomous beings in the world and that each one must accept their separateness. One is tasked with the responsibility to give meaning to their existence (Holden, 1978) . Interpersonal relationships however still have a significant position in existential theory, though it is the individual’s responsibility to establish meaning and accept their self.
Will and love, according to the theory, are concepts that need to be merged. The joy experienced from the worth attached to another individual is love while thewill is the institution that steers movement in the direction of an objective (McCann & Sato, 2000) . The mix of these two allows people to approach and express their concern and care for other individuals.
Psychological health and interpersonal relationships are developed with the aid of authenticity with the self and with other individuals. Authenticity eliminates the separation of object and subject and as such gives meaning to an individual’s life (Holden, 1978) . Authenticity calls for striving for the truth, being honest with the self and extending honesty to interpersonal relationships. The humanistic concept of congruence is consistent with authenticity. One who embraces an authentic lifestyle will behave in congruence with their self-concept, according to the existential theory.
Conclusion
The two theories are both person-orientated, asserting that an individual’s behavior is not determined but is instead dictated by their free will. Humanists assert that people move in the direction of their potential while existentialists assert that people make choices that result in anxieties. Neurotic anxiety is harmful to personality development and growth while normal anxiety boosts growth at the personal level. The characteristics of the personality for the humanistic theory include those factors that lead to a self-actualized person or one who is fully functioning. Awareness and the making of existence via experience are involved in personality characteristics, according to the existential theory. Empathy and unconditional positive acknowledgment and regard are emphasized for psychological health in the humanistic approach. The acceptance of the individual’s self as a separate entity is emphasized by the existential theory. Will and love with authenticity are however significant to existenceand psychological health. Although the two theories offer different routes to psychological health, the significance of self-actualization or full functionality relates to existence, or being in the world. Authenticity relates to the idea of congruence. The two theories therefore merge.
References
Elkins, D. N. (2012). The Humanistic and Behavioral Traditions: Areas of Agreement and Disagreement. Psychotherapy , 465-468.
Holden, R. (1978). Existantial influences on Interpersonal Relationsships. Australian Nurses Journal , 857-859.
McCann, D., & Sato, T. (2000). Personality, cognition, and the self. European Journal of Personality , 449-461.
McLeod, S. (2015). Humanism. Retrieved March 20, 2016, from Simply Psychology: http://www.simplypsychology.org/humanistic.html
Patterson, T. G., & Joseph, S. (2007). Person-Centered Personality Theory: Support from Self-Determination Theory And Positive Psychology. Journal of Humanistic Psychology , 117-139.
