ABSTRACT
Humanistic Psychology, like any cultural phenomenon, developed in a particular socio-historic context. John Rowan also describes several other extraordinary events in the history of Humanistic Psychology. The advertising industry, never slow to jump on a trend, also co-opted the humanistic message of authenticity and freedom. Authenticity now became something that could be attributed to a product, and with psychology manipulatively exploited to increase sales – 'It's the real thing'; and as the Coke Generation 'taught the world to sing in perfect harmony', the message was clear: self-liberation could now be achieved through conspicuous consumption. There are clearly issues of professional identity and affiliation in the UK, with the centre of gravity of humanistic work having shifted through the 1980s and 1990s from the 'Growth Centres' to the territory of the practitioner, training and accreditation lobbies.
