JEFFREY S.

MANZANO, BS Psych

THEORIES OF PERSONALITY  Satisfaction of higher needs leads to

contentment, happiness, and fulfillment.
Abraham Maslow  Gratification of higher needs requires better
external circumstances (social, economic, and
political) than does gratification of lower needs. For example,
“What humans can be, they must be. They must be true to their own pursuing self-actualization requires greater freedom of expression
nature.” and opportunity than pursuing safety needs.
 A need does not have to be satisfied fully before the next need in
the hierarchy becomes important. Maslow proposed a declining
◘ Maslow proposed a hierarchy of five innate needs that percentage of satisfaction for each need. Offering a hypothetical
activate and direct human behavior (Maslow, 1968, example, he described a person who satisfied, in turn, 85% of the
1970b). physiological needs, 70% of the safety needs, 50% of the
◘ Maslow described these needs as instinctoid – they have belongingness and love needs, 40% of the esteem needs, and 10%
a hereditary component. of the self-actualization need.
◘ The needs are arranged in order from strongest to weakest.
Lower needs must be at least partially satisfied before
higher needs become influential.
THE STUDY OF SELF-ACTUALIZERS
 According to Maslow’s theory, self-actualizing persons differ from
HIERARCHY OF NEEDS others in terms of their basic motivation.
 METAMOTIVATION – The motivation of selfactualizers,
which involves maximizing personal potential rather than striving for
a particular goal object
SELF-
ACTUALIZATION

 METANEED – states of being—such as goodness,

uniqueness, and perfection—rather than specific goal objects.
COGNITIVE
Failure to satisfy metaneeds is harmful and produces a kind of
metapathology.
AESTHETIC  METAPATHOLOGY – produced by failure to satify
metaneeds; it prevents self-actualizers from expressing, using, and
fulfilling their potential. Thus, they may come to feel helpless and
ESTEEM
depressed, unable to pinpoint a source for these feelings or identify
a goal that might alleviate the distress.
LOVE AND BELONGINGNESS

SAFETY
CHARACTERISTICS OF SELF-

Clear Acceptance of Spontaneity,

Dedication to
PHYSIOLOGICAL perception of self, others, simplicity and
a cause
reality and nature naturalness

Independence
Freshness of Peak
and need for Social interest
appreciation experiences
privacy
CHARACTERISTICS OF NEEDS
Deep Tolerance and Resistance to
Creativeness
 The lower the need is, the greater are its interpersonal acceptance of
and originality
social
relationships others pressures
strength, potency, and priority. The higher
needs are weaker needs.
 Higher needs appear later in life. Physiological and ACTUALIZING PEOPLE
safety needs (Infancy); belongingness and esteem needs
(Adolescence); need for self-actualization (Midlife).
 Gratification of higher needs can be
postponed. Failure to satisfy a higher need does not produce
FAILURE TO BECOME SELF-
a crisis. Failure to satisfy a lower need does produce a crisis. For ACTUALIZING
this reason, Maslow called lower needs deficit or deficiency (D)
needs; failure to satisfy them produces a deficit or lack in the  Inadequate education and improper child-rearing practices can
individual. thwart the drive for self-actualization in adulthood.
 Higher needs contribute to survival and  If children are overprotected and not permitted to try new behaviors,
growth. Satisfaction of higher needs leads to improved health explore new ideas,or practice new skills,then they are likely to be
inhibited as adults,unable to express themselves fully in activities
and longevity. For this reason, Maslow called higher needs growth,
vital to self-actualization.
or being, needs.
 JEFFREY S. MANZANO, BS Psych

 Too much freedom in childhood can lead to anxiety and insecurity,

thus undermining the safety needs.
 Sufficient love in childhood is a prerequisite for self-actualization, as
well as satisfaction of physiological and safety needs within the
first two years of life.
 Without adequate parental love, security, and esteem in childhood,
it is DIFFICULT to strive for self-actualization in adulthood.
 JONAH COMPLEX – refers to our doubts about our own
abilities.
 Self-actualization requires courage, takes effort, discipline and self-
control.
 Self-actualizers will constantly test themselves by abandoning
secure routines and familiar behaviors and attitudes.
 Not everyone becomes self-actualizing because self-actualization is
the weakest need in the hierarchy and easily interfered with.
 PEAK EXPERIENCES – during which the self is
transcended and the person feels supremely powerful, confident,
and decisive.

QUESTIONS ABOUT HUMAN NATURE

◘ Maslow’s view of personality is humanistic and optimistic.

◘ He focused on psychological health rather than illness,
growth rather than stagnation, virtues and potentials rather
than weaknesses and limitations.
◘ Maslow believed that we are capable of shaping our free will
even in the face of negative biological and constitutional factors
◘ Although the needs in Maslow’s hierarchies are innate, the
behaviors by which we satisfy them are learned. Therefore,
personality is determined by the interaction of heredity and
environment, of personal and situational variables.
◘ Maslow seemed to favor the uniqueness of personality.
◘ Maslow recognized the importance of early childhood
experiences in fostering or inhibiting adult development, but
he did not believe that we are victims of these experiences.
◘ Self-actualization as the ultimate and necessary goal.
◘ He argued that human nature is basically good, decent, and
kind, but he did not deny the existence of evil. He suggested
that wickedness was not an inherited trait but rather the result
of an inappropriate environment.