Maslow and other third force psychologists, on the other hand, have claimed that man looks toward the future rather than the past, seeks goals rather than avoids unpleasantness, and learns by cognitive processes such as insight rather than by conditioning and reflexive responses. Phenomenology is the most general theory. One can be a phenomenologist without being an existentialist or humanist. In so doing, one does not have to believe that an existential framework is the most productive. If one is a humanist he is also likely to be a phenomenologist and an existentialist.
Humanists tend to emphasize cognitive processes and the reality of being.
Originally, there were several different brands of phenomenology in psychology. But as existentialism and then humanism emerged, the differences among these third force groups became less pronounced and the similarities became more prominent. Humanists tend to be the most well defined group. Today's humanists are most vocal about supporting phenomenological methods, existential beliefs, and humanistic values. It is not easy to trace the development of this patterned third force branch within psychology.