Abraham Maslow

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Personality Psychology

• Abraham Maslow

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History

• Born April 1, 1908 in Brooklyn, New York.
• Died June 8 1970, California
• Family He married Bertha Goodman, his first
  cousin, against his parents' wishes and went on
  to have two daughters.
• .

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History

• He received his BA in 1930, his MA in 1931, and
  his PhD in 1934, all in psychology.
• He worked with Harry Harlow, E.L. Thorndike,
  Adler, Fromm, Horney, and some Gestalt
  psychologists.
• He eventually met Kurt Goldstein (who introduced
  him to the idea of self-actualization) and began
  his own theoretical work. 

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Concepts

• Deficit needs, or D-needs. 
• If you dont have enough of something -- i.e. you
  have a deficit -- you feel the need.  But if you
  get all you need, you feel nothing at all!  In
  other words, they cease to be motivating. 
• Homeostasis. 
• Homeostasis is the principle by which your
  furnace thermostat operates. In the same way,
  when you lack something, you develop a desire for
  it. When you get enough, the desire stops.

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Concepts

• Growth motivation, being needs (or B-needs).
• These are needs that do not involve balance or
  homeostasis.  Once engaged, they continue to be
  felt.  In fact, they are likely to become
  stronger as we feed them! 
• Self-actualization
• Becoming the most complete, the fullest, you.

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Qualities of Self-Actualization

• Reality-centered
• Problem-centered
• Different perception of means and ends
• Need for privacy
• Independent of culture and environment. 
• Resist enculturation
• Democratic values,
• Social interest
• Intimate personal relations.

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Qualities of Self-Actualization

• Unhostile sense of humor
• Acceptance of self
• Spontaneity and simplicity 
• Freshness of appreciation,
• Creative
• Peak experiences

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Neurosis

• If needs are not met at a particular point in
  life, you may fixate on that need.