The final theorist I will be covering is Abraham Maslow. He is the major theorist of what is known as the humanistic approach in regards to personality development. Everybody has heard about Maslow at some point... Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs? It's this guy. If that pyramid looks familiar to you then congratulations - you know more about psychology than you may have thought.
Firstly I would just like to say that Maslow is by far the most positive of the theorists I've covered - you'll see that as I go along with the explanation of his theory, he doesn't focus so much on the negative aspects of the human condition. I mean, look at his picture... I can't help but think of the word 'jolly' when I look at him.
Maslow explains behaviour in terms of need gratification. Thus, we get his famous hierarchy of needs. He claims that in order to achieve our highest need: self-actualization i.e. our greatest potential we need to satisfy our other needs first. We have to go through the necessary channels and processes in order to reach actuality - it cannot simply occur while other needs of our are left unmet.Furthermore, Maslow claims that one need will dominate our personality until it is met (I'll expand on that a bit later on).
Once again I'll be taking a personal approach in regards to this theory so I'll be explaining and applying Maslow's hierarchy of needs according to my own level of experience. Feel free to assess yourself - you may find that you learn something about yourself.
So the most basic of needs and that which has to be fulfilled first are our physiological needs. These needs are those such as hunger, thirst, etc. and they constantly need gratification (Eg. You can just eat once in your life and expect it to be sufficient - you have to eat everyday in order to sustain your body). Now thankfully for me, I can say that my physiological needs are met. One often takes it for granted but there are some people in this world - in my own beloved country, that do not have these physiological needs met. Never mind anything beyond physiological needs. There are people who are without food and clean drinking water - their lives are a constant struggle for survival so they can't focus on achieving anything else other than staying alive. I'm blessed in having more than enough.
Next we have safety needs and this pertains to the achievement of security, stability, protection, etc. Once again, these needs are met for me. I live in residence at university which is safe and provides me with a stable place to stay as well as protection. Growing up, I lived in a house in a protected and relatively safe neighbourhood. So I never had to worry about my safety or security as some people do. Once again, I'm very blessed.
Then we have our social needs which refers to our need for affiliation and for love. I'm sure everybody or most people can identify with this one. I know that I'm probably a bit stuck here personally. I have great friends and an amazing, involved family but I do struggle to feel loved and a part of something at times which leads me to focus and dwell in the gratification of needs. So don't mistake me as clingy! I just want a need to be met... Say you love me, give me hug and a smile and then send me on my way.
I cringe a bit every time I read about this level: Self esteem needs. I know I'm lacking in this department... Self esteem is based on personal achievements but also on the esteem/affirmation of others. I have a real problem here and after thinking on it for a short while, it may be because of the issues I have in gratifying the the needs in the level below (my social needs). If you happen to know me (or if you've read a considerable number of my previous blog posts), you'll know that I am terribly insecure and have a huge problem with self-doubt, self-image, etc. So this is what I'm putting it down to - my needs have not been met.
Obviously if I have not met my social or self esteem needs adequately, I cannot begin to properly focus on satisfying my need for self-actualization. I cannot be the best me that I can be if I haven't gotten all my crap together. I need to get it together and stop thinking that things are not within my control - in most cases they are... And if I can't change my situation, I can always change myself.
Thank you, Maslow.
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
-Marianne Williamson
--J.
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