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Name:
Abraham Harold Maslow
Dates:
Born: April 1, 1908 in Brooklyn, New York
Died: June 8 1970 in California (heart attack)
Biography:
Abraham Harold Maslow was an American psychologist who played a key
role in the development of modern humanistic psychology. Maslow is perhaps best
known because of his theory of differing levels of motivation which describes the
process by which individuals fulfill their needs.
These were: 1. biological needs; 2. safety and security; 3. love and belongingness; and 4. self-esteem. The earliest are the most basic and the later build upon the former. This scheme could include higher levels of needs, but Maslow did not go further than this.
Biological needs include food, water, sex, and sleep - the goal is simply to live. Safety needs include structure, order, security, and predictability - the goal is to eliminate uncertainty and provide order to life. Love needs include affiliation, friends, companions, a supportive family, and identification with the group - the goal here is to provide for intimacy and reduce alienation. Esteem needs involve the search for competency, competence, and a high regard from one's peer group.
The ultimate goal of all of this, at least according to Maslow's humanist psychology, is to provide for the self-actualization of the individual. Such a person has a "more efficient" perception of reality because their perception was not distorted by unfulfilled needs eating away at them. Such a person is more resistant to various forms of social repression and indoctrination, has a stronger sense of friendship with others rather than superficial relationships, and is more spontaneous and creative.
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Related Resources:
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