In studying human personality and behaviors, researchers must choose from an array of theories through which to conduct their research. Scientists or researchers may opt for a humanistic approach, or they may select a behavioral approach, depending on the nature of the study. Both humanism and behaviorism possess similarities and differences when compared, with each approach providing a research and/or study with a distinct set of processes, assumptions, and applications.

The humanistic approach studies the person as a whole, and how their behavior correlates to their own feelings and the perception of their self. Humanism operates on the belief that every individual has free will, and that they have an inherent desire to better both themselves and the larger world (Schaffer, 1978). Also worth noting is the fact that humanism rejects the scientific approach that is frequently employed in other psychological methods, and deems humans as being fundamentally distinct from other beings, as humans are able to utilize reason, thought, and language for communication (Royce, 2012). Unlike behaviorism, humanistic researchers believe the scientific approach to be dehumanizing, and thus lacks the capabilities to take into account the individual’s conscious experiences. Other methods, such as unstructured interviews and observations, are instead employed in humanism to discover how people approach issues and how they feel. Additionally, the humanistic approach has the perspective that personal growth and being fulfilled is one of the most basic human tenets in life (Royce, 2012).

The behaviorist approach is different from the humanist approach as it operates on the belief that psychology should utilize a scientific approach, emphasizing that observable behavior is more meaningful than internal processes, such as reason. Humanism, conversely, relies on the internal processes of humans, such as reason, to make assumptions and predictions. Behaviorism also includes the belief that behavior results from a stimulus, and hence is determined by the environment of the individual (Skinner, 2011). Unlike humanism, behaviorism also suggests that theories mandate the evidence of empirical data, which must be collected through closely controlled observations and behavior measurements. Thus, behaviorists contend that behavior can be both scientifically and objectively measured, with behavioral terms functioning to explain emotion and other internal processes (Skinner, 2011).

From the discussion so far, several differences can be noted between behaviorism and humanism. Behaviorism advocates for the focus on the external behaviors/processes of humans, whereas humanism emphasizes the individual as a whole. Behaviorism, additionally, has very scientific underpinnings and utilizes experiments to understand human behavior (Skinner, 2011). Humanism, on the other hand, is far more subjective, with very little scientific underpinnings. Humanism also goes further beyond external behaviors and highlights the emotions of humans, and attempts to explain them (Shaffer, 1978). Lastly, humanism rejects the belief of behaviorism in that humans are not agents of free will (Royce, 2012).

Though some distinctions have been made between humanism and behaviorism, such as the use or rejection of the scientific method and the importance (or not) of internal processes, there are some similarities between the two theories. For instance, while some of the investigation processes are different, such as whether or not the theory employs empirical data for drawing conclusions, the underlying purpose is the same, which is to explain human behaviors and processes. Moreover, both theories advocate for the focus of psychology to be on the person (as a whole), rather than on the unconscious mind.

In conclusion, behaviorism and humanism are two different psychological approaches that attempt to explain human behavior. While there are several differences between the two approaches as discusses, there are also notable similarities, such as the underlying purpose to explain human processes. Ultimately, both theories are utilized to understand the human mind and their behaviors.