Maslow (1908-1970)

Need Hierarchy Theory

Early Influences

1941: horrified by hatred in WWII,

wanted to find and study “best specimens of mankind”

While studying two of his most admired people (Wertheimer & Benedict) he noticed patterns that could be applied to all people

Scientific Approaches

Reductive-analytic approach to science:Reduce object to component parts

Psychoanalytic Behaviorist

Desacralize: to distort human nature and make it less marvelous and dignified

Holistic-analytic approach to science:Totality of object (both pos. & neg.)

Humanistic (Third Force)

Needs

Human needs are instinctoid (or innate)Different from animal instincts b/c they are

weaker, less absolute

Hierarchy of human needsBottom: strongest, humans and animalsTop: weakest, humans only

Hierarchy of Needs

self-actualization

esteem

love and belongingness

safety

physiological

1. physiological needs

• Food

• Water

• Sex

• Elimination

• Sleep

2. safety needs

• Structure

• Order

• Security

• Predictability

3. belongingness & love needs

• Friends

• Companions

• Supportive Family

• Identification w/ a Group

• Intimate Relationship

4. esteem needs• Recognition from Other People

• Prestige

• Acceptance

• Status

• Self-Esteem

• Adequacy

• Competence

• Confidence

Desire to Know and Understandtools used to solve problems

with satisfying basic needs

secrecy, censorship will prevent satisfying needs

Those are all deficiency needs.

There is something missing.

There is something higher.

5. self-actualization

• Develop potentials and talents

• Fulfill mission (call) in life

• Understand and accept own nature

• Create unity or integration within self

Growth occurs spontaneously, if lower order needs are met.

However, lower needs do not have to be 100% satisfied to move on to a higher need

Person usually addressing more than one level at a time

People long deprived of a need may never progress to higher needs

Very talented people may proceed directly to self-actualization w/o satisfying lower needs

Hierarchy of Needs

self-actualization

esteem

love and belongingness

safety

physiological

Self-actualization(B-Needs)

Lower-orderneeds

(D-Needs)

Differences between D-motivation & B-motivation D-motivation: deficiency

Need-directed perception; D perception; D cognition; deficiency motives (D motives)

Person motivated by absence of needed elements; non-self-actualizing

B-motivation: being Growth motivation; B perception; "metamotivated“ Person motivated by personal inner growth; self-

actualizing

D-love is jealous (selfish, self-directed; need for love and belongingness)

B-love is trusting (nonpossessive; allows partner to grow)

Metapathology Failure to satisfy a b-need

Truth: Dishonesty (cynicism, distrust) Justice: Injustice (jungle worldview) Playfulness: Humorlessness (depression, loss of zest in life)

Peak Experience Being experiences that have intense feelings of

ecstasy Catching the winning touchdown at the Superbowl Performing a song “just right”

Characteristics of self-actualized people

efficient perception of reality

• Not colored by needs/defenses

• Enables person to perceive deception, judge others accurately

acceptance

• Recognize who they and others really are

• Not burdened by undue guilt, anxiety, shame

• Feel no need to convert others

• Accept both weaknesses and strengths in others without feeing threatened

spontaneity

• Tend to be true to their feelings

• Do not hide behind a mask

problem-centered

• Committed to a task or a cause, not preoccupied with themselves

need for privacy (solitude)

• Company of others not needed at all times

• Rely on their own interpretations of events, rather than other peoples’

autonomy

• Independence from culture & environment

• Outside rewards (acclaim from others) less important than inner growth and development

freshness of appreciation

• Continuously experience events with awe, wonder

• These experiences create energy

peak experiences

• Embracing of B-values

human kinship

• Desire to help all humanity

interpersonal relationships• Only a few, but deep, friendships

strong ethical sense

• Awareness of ethical implications for all their actions

sense of humor

• Being able to laugh at yourself

• Not finding humor in events that degrade or harm others

creativity

• Found in all self-actualized people

resistance to enculturation

• Tend to be nonconformists (i.e., if cultural norm contradicts what they believe, they will not conform)

But…self-actualized people

are not perfect.

- boring, stubborn, irritating, vain

- occasionally ruthless- temper outburst- silly, wasteful, thoughtless habits

Self-Actualized People Rare (1%)

Why?Obstacles to Self-Actualization

1. Self-actualization is at the top of the hierarchy, which makes it weaker than any of the other needs

2. Most people fear uncertainty, esp. when it is related to personal self-knowledge

Threat to self-concept Jonah complex

Jonah complex

Fear of one’s own greatness, running from one’s destiny and best talentsNamed after the

biblical Jonah, who tried to escape his fate

Why? continued

3. Choice between safety & growth Freedom within limits

4. Cultural environment

Self-Actualized People Rare (1%)

Criticisms

Biased toward Western cultures Overly optimistic Unscientific Exceptions exist

Who can be self-actualized?