On April 1, 1908 Abraham Harold Maslow was born in a multiethnic neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York to Jewish immigrants from Russia. From a young age Maslow’s parents pushed him hard for academic success. His parents were uneducated but they valued education. They hoped that the new world would bring the best for their children. Aside from pushing their children to exceed in school, Maslow’s parents were uncaring and different. His father verbally abused him and his mother was selfish and showed her children no love or attention. He eventually developed a strong revulsion for his parents. Maslow also had hard time in school. He heard teachers speaking contemptuously of him as “that smart Jew,” and throughout his youth he was tormented by …show more content…
Eventually, he transferred to the University of Wisconsin where he discovered his love for psychology and found a mentor in psychologist Harry Harlow who served as his doctoral advisor. In 1928, while still in college he married his first cousin Bertha, who was still in high school at the time. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1930, a master's degree in 1931 and a doctorate in 1934. After receiving his doctorate, Maslow returned to New York to work at Columbia Teachers College where he was mentored by Alfred Adler, one of Sigmund Freud’s colleagues. Maslow continued to conduct research on the topic of sexuality and dominance at Teachers College. Instead of using primates as subjects he employed female undergraduates, arguing that “girls are more tractable”. As a result of his research, Maslow maintained that there was a fundamental continuity between human sexuality and primate sexuality (Maslow, 1943). In 1937, he worked as a psychology instructor at Brooklyn College. There he met Max Wertheimer, a gestalt psychologist, and an anthropologist named Ruth Benedict. Both Wertheimer and Benedict became the subject of Maslow’s research. He observed and assessed them, forming the foundation for his theories on human potential and psychological well-being. Maslow stated that human motivation is based on people seeking fulfillment and change through personal …show more content…
He analyzed biographies and writings of 18 people he identified as being self-actualized to develop a list of qualities that seemed characteristic of this specific group of people. Some argue that Maslow’s method of research is questionable because of its very limited no diverse sample. It is extremely difficult to empirically test Maslow's concept of self-actualization in a way that causal relationships can be established. Biographer, Eric Hoffman said that it is important to note that self-actualization is a continual process of becoming rather than a perfect state one reaches of a 'happy ever after' (Hoffman,
Abraham Maslow was born April 1, 1908 in Brooklyn, New York. Abraham Maslow grew up in Brooklyn, New York, the first of seven children born to his Jewish parents who emigrated from Russia. His parents were uneducated, but they insisted that he study law. Maslow later described his early childhood as unhappy and lonely, and he spent much of his time in the library immersed in books. At first, Abraham acceded to their wishes and enrolled in the City College of New York (CCNY). However, after three semesters, he transferred to Cornell University then back to CCNY.
Psychoanalytical theory approach would not view human motivation as Maslow. The psychoanalytic theory place human motivation as an individual’s sexuality and aggression (McAdams, 2006). In psychoanalysis the person talks about they are experiencing with a therapist who
The list of psychologists who influenced Maslow includes A. Adler, E. Fromm, E. Thorndike, K. Koffka, K. Horney, and W. Kohler (Francis & Kritsonis, 2006). Besides these psychologists, Maslow himself acknowledged that R. Benedict and M. Wertheimer had an impact on his views about human needs as well (Francis & Kritsonis, 2006). The Hierarchy of Needs theory was partially influenced by works of K. Goldstein who developed the concept of self-actualization, later borrowed by Maslow and other psychologists (Francis & Kritsonis, 2006).
A self-actualized individual has met all the lower level needs in the hierarchy—physiological needs, safety, belongingness and love, and self-esteem—and feels they are realizing their potential and fulfilling their purpose (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2013). These needs are met in order, and according to Maslow, one cannot skip ahead to a higher-level need if they have not fulfilled a basic need (Hagerty, 1999). Indeed Ed has physiological and safety needs met, as his pension and Laura’s retirement fund provide the means for food and housing in a safe neighborhood where he is not in any immediate danger. Ed has a strong social network of his wife, children, and friends from his various organizations and clubs. He displays a sense of respect for himself and people in his neighborhood, and can identify achievements he made in life, particularly graduating high school, getting promoted young in the Navy, and getting high-level promotions in the fire
For speaking his mind, William Brownlow was one of the most hated men in Tennessee history. Brownlow’s views and opinions were disliked by the people who had heard them straight from his mouth or by hearing them passed down from others. He expressed this by putting his mind out for the people to see how he sees issues. At the same time, people hated his views so much they went straight to violence towards him. Here is the story about William Brownlow throughout his life and his accomplishments.
This was the beginning of one of the groundbreaking contributions to Psychology Abraham Maslow has done. Another way that Maslow has contributed to Psychology by making sure through gatherings, meetings, lectures, and theory that the matter of humanistic psychology is just as valuable and needed to be taught as that of Pavlov’s theory of behaviorism and that of Freudian’s psychoanalysis theory. “As a prophet of human potential, Maslow believed the realization of one’s total potential variously described as self-realization to be the ultimate goal of all human kind” (Dhiman, 2007). He did this with extensive research and by working with theorist that shared the same interests, like Carl Rogers. He did his bit on teaching at a university, but quickly found out that he did not like it very much and had the students teach the class as he monitored. The times that he did lecture the class, he asked questions that broaden the horizons of how the student saw themselves in the future.
In using Maslow 's theory of self actualization and definition of religious experience types (confirming, responsive, ecstatic, and revelational), found no differences between type of religious experience and self actualization. The concern itself is only with the incidence and centrality of a person 's self defined spiritual experience. It is hypothesized that the more people get older the more he or she finds his or her spiritual experience to be a central part of his or her life, the higher they will score on the self-actualization measure.
Abraham Maslow theorized the concept of self-actualization which is the term used to describe the state of self-fulfillment in which people realize their highest potentials in their own unique way. Maslow’s theory includes sublevels that must be achieved before reaching self-actualization. In this paper, I will explain how each of his previous levels have affected my life, and give an idea of when I may hope to achieve self-actualization. Self-actualization is the term that Abraham Maslow used to describe the state of self-fulfillment in which people realize their highest potentials in their own unique way. The personal reflections accommodate to my perspective of the Maslow’s Theory.
“Maslow noted only one in a hundred people become fully self-actualized because our society rewards motivation primarily based on esteem, love and other social needs”(McLeod). Pi, the novel’s protagonist, moves through the very same motivational levels that Abraham Maslow identifies in his landmark psychological studies. Understanding the different stages helps show why certain behaviors are occurring and eventually after all stages are fulfilled is when a person becomes self-actualized.
The experience convinced him that there is so much that can be learned by studying people of different cultures daily lives. It also convinced him that people around the world have more similarities than differences, and that we all share certain human needs and drives. These findings helped guide his research on emotional security as an attribute that profoundly impacts our social relations. Maslow did not know how to organize all of these observations into a consistent conception of personality. While trying organize his findings, Maslow studied the literature of a few European psychological thinkers: Alfred Adler, Erich Fromm, Karen Horny and Max
Self-actualization refers to the desire to achieve one’s greatest potential or as Maslow writes “what a man can be, he must be” (Maslow). Abraham Maslow, a researcher and a pioneer in the field of psychology, strongly believed that people can control their own behavior and have the abilities to reach their full potential. Maslow is perhaps best known for his “Hierarchy of Needs” that culminates in self-actualization. This hierarchy begins with so-called “basic needs” - psychological, safety, social, and esteem - and concludes with the “growth need”. Among other characteristics, Maslow describes self-actualized people as highly creative, independent, genuine individuals who are resistant to enculturation and accept themselves for who
The Watson, Hood Jr, & Morris, (1984) states that criticizers have cautioned of the risks of self-understanding while more humanistic focused individuals have been inclined to perceive Maslow’s self-actualization as revealing of progressive mental health. Numerous theoretical depositions about the appropriate part of the self remain to be favored inside this debate; nevertheless, little methodical experimental research has been inspired away from experimental established connotations between proportions of the self and methods of religiousness (Watson et al, 1984). The religious claim that humanistic values guarantee narcissistic self-concern appears unwarranted, since no relationship was obtained between narcissism and the point of interest (Watson et al, 1984).
In their essay, Bauer, Schwab, and McAdams set out to determine whether higher levels of psychological maturity correlate with well-being, despite emphasizing how previous research done on the topic indicates that there is no evidence supporting the idea that higher maturity has a strong connection with well-being. In fact, the only reason they mention for even attempting to discover this connection in spite of the data to the contrary is that theorists speculate that this “highest stage of maturity” corresponds directly to Maslow’s stage of Self-Actualization (Bauer et al., 2011). To describe Maslow’s self-actualizing person briefly; they focus on truths, rather than needs, have an acceptance of self
He was never enamored with laboratory psychology. He went on to Columbia University as a Carnegie fellow where he worked with Alfred Adler, one of Sigmund Freud’s colleagues. Those days were spent in testing and measuring child and adult intelligence and their ability to learn. Between 1937 and 1951, Maslow was a faculty member at Brooklyn College. During that time he published several articles, on Human Motivation, higher and lower needs, and actualizing people . In 1947, he suffered a heart attack and was forced to take medical leave. He and his family relocated to California. He headed a division of the Maslow Cooperage Corporation, supervising men repairing wine barrels for a local winery. After he recuperated, he returned to Brooklyn College.
braham Harold Maslow (1908-1970), the 77th president of the American Psychological Association, was widely known for his Hierarchy of Needs, a theory of human needs that begins at the base with physiological needs that must first be satisfied before higher-level safety needs and then psychological needs become active. The first section of the research paper explores Abraham Maslow’s early life: his childhood experience, his college study, and his academic career. The second section examines some of Abraham Maslow’s key publications, in order to acquire a comprehensive understanding of his theory. And lastly, Maslow’s contribution to the psychology field is discussed, as his works signified the advancement of 1960’s humanistic psychology and served as a complement to Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory and B.F. Skinner’s behaviorism.