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humanistic perspective

the assumption in psychology that people are essentially good and constructive, that the tendency toward self-actualization is inherent, and that, given the proper environment, human beings will develop to their maximum potential. The humanistic perspective arose from the contributions of Gordon W. Allport, Abraham Maslow, and Carl Rogers, who advocated a personality theory based on the study of healthy individuals as opposed to people with mental disorders.

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Psychology term of the day

January 26th 2025

congenital oculomotor apraxia

congenital oculomotor apraxia

a condition, present at birth, in which a child is unable to fixate objects normally (see oculomotor apraxia). It is characterized by the absence of saccades and smooth-pursuit eye movements in the horizontal plane, but vertical eye movements are preserved: Children with this condition are often mistakenly thought to be blind. Between the ages of 4 and 6 months, they develop thrusting, horizontal head movements, sometimes blinking prominently or rubbing their eyelids when they attempt to change fixation. The cause of congenital oculomotor apraxia is unknown, but there is usually an improvement with age.