Michael Smith only

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Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)

Need Hierarchy Theory

Early Influences

n 1941: horrified by hatred in WWII, wanted to find and study “best specimens of mankind”

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

Third Force Psychology

n Reductive-analytic approach : n Psychoanalytic n Behaviorist

¨Distort human nature and make it less marvelous and dignified

n Holistic-analytic approach : ¨Totality of object (both pos. & neg.)

n Humanistic (Third Force)

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Needs

n Human needs are innate ¨Different from animal instincts b/c they are

weaker, less absolute

n Hierarchy of human needs ¨Bottom: deficiency needs, humans and

animals ¨Top: growth needs, humans only

Hierarchy of Needs

self- actualization

esteem

love and belongingness

safety

physiological

https://www.youtube.co m/watch?v=tzQ9vrvTAt k

1. physiological needs

• Food

• Water

• Sex

• Elimination

• Sleep •https://www. youtube.com /watch?v=tz Q9vrvTAtk

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2. safety needs

• Structure

• Order

• Security

• Predictability

•https://www.yo utube.com/watc h?v=tzQ9vrvTAt k

3. belongingness & love needs • Friends

• Companions

• Supportive Family

• Identification w/ a Group

• Intimate Relationship

•https://www.youtube.co m/watch?v=tzQ9vrvTAtk

4. esteem needs • Recognition from Other People

• Prestige

• Acceptance

• Status

• Self-Esteem • Adequacy

• Competence

• Confidence

•https://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=tzQ9vrvTAtk

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5. self-actualization

• Develop potentials and talents

• Fulfill mission (call) in life

• Understand and accept own nature

• Create unity or integration within self

•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzQ9vrvTAtk

Types of parenting styles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29hzaoWOksE

Exceptions Growth occurs spontaneously, if lower order needs are

met. n However, lower needs do not have to be 100%

satisfied to move on to a higher need n Person usually addressing more than one level at a

time n People long deprived of a need may never progress

to higher needs n Very talented people may proceed directly to self-

actualization w/o satisfying lower needs

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Activity

n At what level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs do you think you are currently operating? Justify your answer

Read the following eight statements and tick below those that apply to you. � A I am successful in life and/or work, and I’m recognized by my peers for being so. I’m satisfied with the responsibility and role that I have in life and/or work, my status and reputation, and my level of self-esteem. � B I am part of, and loved by, my family. I have good relationships with my friends and colleagues - they accept me for who I am. � C Above mostly everything else, I actively seek beauty, form and balance in

things around me. My interest in beautiful culture and the arts is central to me. � D My aim is self-knowledge and enlightenment. The most important thing to me

is realizing my ultimate personal potential. I seek and welcome ‘peak’ experiences. � E I generally feel safe and secure - job, home, etc - and protected from harm. My life generally has routine and structure - long periods of uncontrollable chaos are rare or non-existent. � F The most important thing to me is helping others to reach their ultimate

potential, whatever that may be, even at my own expense. � G Aside from dieting and personal choice, I never starve through lack of food, nor lack of money to buy food. Aside from the usual trauma of moving house, I have no worry at all about having somewhere to live - I have ‘a roof over my head’. � H Improving my self-awareness is one of my top priorities. The pursuit of knowledge and meaning of things, other than is necessary for my work, is extremely important to me.

Differences between D-motivation & B-motivation

n D-motivation: deficiency ¨ Need-directed perception; D cognition; deficiency

motives (D motives) ¨ Person motivated by absence of needed elements;

non-self-actualizing

n B-motivation: being ¨ Growth motivation; ¨ Person motivated by personal inner growth; self-

actualizing

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

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

Characteristics of self-actualized people

efficient perception of reality • Not colored by needs/defenses • Enables person to perceive deception, judge others accurately

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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

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need for privacy • 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

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peak experiences • Embracing of B-values

Peak Experience Activity

n Think of the most wonderful experiences of your life

n List them n Describe how you feel in these moments?

human kinship • Desire to help all humanity

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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

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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)

Activity n Evaluate your sibling or best friend’s

personality in terms of the 15 characteristics of self-actualizing person

n Indicate which characteristics do you think he/she possesses and which one he/she does not possess

n A good test to measure your level of self- actualization:

n http://www.selfcounseling.com/help/person alsuccess/selfactualization.html

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But… self-actualized people

are not perfect.

- boring, stubborn, irritating, vain - occasionally ruthless - temper outburst - silly, wasteful, thoughtless habits

Self-Actualized People Rare (1%)

n 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

n Fear of one’s own greatness, running from one’s destiny and best talents ¨Named after the

biblical Jonah, who tried to escape his fate

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Psychotherapy

n Places for personal growth: n https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEBH4

JKNIBg

Application of Maslow’s needs

n In Business n How would you motivate employees?

n https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMSFk zTfoU4

Criticisms

n Biased toward Western cultures n Overly optimistic n Unscientific n Exceptions exist

¨Who can be self-actualized?