Objective 24:
Describe the development of congruence and incongruence.
Congruence and Incongruence are best described by this visual representation in
my opinion. As you can see above, congruence is when our self-image is similar to the
ideal self. Without congruency, we are unable to move onto the next stage of Maslow’s
hierarchy, self-actualization. If we are in a dilemma and are not congruent, we are found
to be incongruent. As you can see above, in a state of incongruence, a person’s self
image and ideal self are not very similar which lead to a great disequilibrium and a very
anxiety inducing predicament. If we are incongruent, our minds may produce defense
mechanisms to protect ourselves from the harsh reality that who we want to be, is not
quite who we always are. I actually think that a little incongruence is okay. It shows us
that our path isn’t always straight, but now we know that we need to fix it.
So for example, if I was a congruent person, I would be someone who wants to
help others, get good grades, always do my best, and live life to the fullest, and I would
also want to be that kind of person and live my life that way. Congruency is like talking
the talk and walking the walk. It’s putting what you say and what you speak into action.
If I wanted to help others, get good grades, always do my best, and live life to the fullest,
but in reality, I was selfish, got bad grades never tried, and spend my life on the couch, I
would be incongruent because my actual and ideal self were not the same. This would
cause many anxiety-inducing problems because my mind is in an intense state of
disequilibrium.
This congruency issue is apart of the self-esteem rung on the ladder that we must
cross before we can move on. (I actually really like that analogy! Go Nathen!) Anyway,
we must first be able to have self confidence and love our self before we can fully devote
our self, to ourselves.
Carl Rogers, the great humanistic psychologist, said that in a therapeutic setting,
unconditional positive regard is essential to the achievement of congruence.
Unconditional positive regard is when a therapist is caring, accepting, nonjudgmental,
and helps the client to develop self-awareness and self-acceptance. Rogers believed that
if therapists could help their clients find for themselves the causes of their actions and
feelings that they will become more aware and will better understand their own motives
to lead themselves onto a path of congruence.
http://www.simplypsychology.org/carl-rogers.html
I used this source for the diagram of incongruence and congruence. It excellently
illustrates how congruence is when the ideal self and actual self are very similar, and how
incongruence is when the actual self and ideal self are not very close.
http://www.simplypsychology.org/carl-rogers.html
I used this source for my definitions and for the information that I learned and
presented on congruence and incongruence.