Jeff has to get up early to go to school, but he wants to stay up late and watch television. His parents disapprove of him staying up late, but when they go out for the evening he disregards their wishes and stays up late anyway. The next day he feels extremely guilty. How would Carl Rogers explain Jeff's guilt?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Carl Rogers would attribute Jeff's guilt to a conflict between his personal desires and the value judgments imposed upon him by his parents. Rogers believed that individuals experience congruence when their self-concept (their beliefs about themselves) matches their experiences, but inconsistencies between their self-concept and experience create psychological tension. In this scenario, Jeff's desire to stay up late conflicts with his parents' belief that he should go to bed early to succeed in school, creating an inconsistency and psychological tension that manifests as guilt.

Jeff Has to Get Up Early to Go to School