Humanistic Experience and Psychodynamic Understanding: Empirical Associations Among Facets of Self-Actualization and Psychological Mindedness

The aim of this study was to investigate empirical connections between humanistic psychology and psychoanalysis by exploring a single measurable construct from each discipline. Specifically, we examined the relationship between self-actualization (SA) and psychological mindedness (PM). A cross-sectional design was selected to explore interrelations among study variables at a single timepoint. The participants were 204 students enrolled at midsize Eastern (Fordham) and Western (Boise State) US universities. Participant volunteers filled out the following measures: the Psychological Mindedness Scale (PM Scale), the Balanced Index of Psychological Mindedness (BPIM), the Brief Index of Self-Actualization – Revised (BISA-R), and the Short Index of Self-Actualization (SISA) along with a demographic form. SA and PM were not affected by demographic variables of age, gender, or ethnicity/race but were strongly and positively associated with one another. This study establishes empirical connections between humanistic psychology and psychoanalysis at the construct level. These connections have disciplinary and interdisciplinary implications.