Abraham Maslow - Holistic-Dynamic Theory

Abraham Harold Maslow (Birth, Death, & Role)

Born on April 1, 1908, in Manhattan, New York; died in 1970 (June 8, 1970); American humanistic psychologist known for the Hierarchy of Needs and Self-Actualization; President of APA (1967–1968).

Maslow's Childhood & Family Background

Oldest of seven children; had a difficult childhood and poor parental relationships, experienced bullying, antisemitism, and social isolation, and found comfort in books and education.

Maslow's Education & Career Milestones

Studied at City College of New York and University of Wisconsin; earned PhD in Psychology in 1934; influenced by Ruth Benedict, Max Wertheimer, and other psychologists; joined Brandeis University in 1951.

Development of Maslow's Theory

Influenced by World War II and his desire for a peaceful society, leading him to develop the concept of human motivation and self-actualization.

Holistic-Dynamic Theory (Maslow)

Explains that human behavior refers to the actions, reactions, and patterns of conduct displayed by individuals in response to internal and external influences, and that behavior can be conscious or unconscious, voluntary or involuntary, and may vary depending on circumstances.

5 Assumptions of Maslow's View of Motivation

Holistic; Complex; Continuous; Universal; Hierarchy of Needs.

Holistic Motivation (Maslow)

Assumption that the whole person, rather than a single part or function, is motivated.

Complex Motivation (Maslow)

Assumption that a single behavior may be driven by several motives simultaneously, and motives may be unconscious or unknown to the individual.

Continuous Motivation (Maslow)

Assumption that people are constantly motivated by different needs.

Universal Needs (Maslow)

Assumption that all people share the same basic needs, regardless of cultural differences (cultures may differ in how these needs are fulfilled, but fundamental needs remain universal).

Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow)

Assumption that human needs are organized according to their level of importance or prepotency, and lower-level needs generally need to be satisfied before higher-level needs become dominant.

Five Conative Needs Proposed by Maslow (from lowest to highest)

Physiological needs; Safety and Security; Love and Belonging; Self-esteem; Self-actualize.

Physiological Needs (Maslow)

The most basic and prepotent conative need; examples are food, water, oxygen, survival.

Safety and Security Needs (Maslow)

Conative need pertaining to security, protection, and stability; this can never be completely satisfied.

Love and Belonging Needs (Maslow)

Conative need involving friendship, family, and affection.

Self-Esteem Needs (Maslow)

Conative need involving reputation and self-esteem.

Self-Actualize (Conative Need)

Highest conative need, pertaining to fulfillment and reaching one's potential.

Aesthetic Needs (Maslow)

Desire for beauty and order.

Cognitive Needs (Maslow)

Desire for knowledge and understanding.

Neurotic Needs (Maslow)

Unproductive needs that contribute to pathology, resulting from the frustration, block, or deprivation of human needs.

Expressive Behavior (Maslow)

Often unmotivated and serves as an expression of the individual's natural personality; an end in itself rather than an action intended to achieve a specific goal. Characteristics: usually unconscious and spontaneous, requires little effort, generally unlearned, determined mainly by internal factors rather than the environment, and can occur without reinforcement or rewards.

Coping Behavior (Maslow)

Always motivated and directed toward satisfying a need; involves efforts to adjust to or manage the environment. Characteristics: usually conscious and effortful, often learned, influenced by external environmental conditions, directed toward achieving specific goals, and motivated by deficit needs.

Gradual Satisfaction of Needs (Maslow)

The more a lower-level need is satisfied, the more the next-level need emerges.

Reversed Order of Needs (Maslow)

Although needs generally follow a hierarchical order, their progression may occasionally be reversed.

Unmotivated Behavior (Maslow)

Maslow believed that all behaviors have causes, but not all behaviors are motivated by needs.

Deprivation of Needs (Maslow)

Failure to satisfy basic needs may lead to psychological or physical pathology.

Instinctual / Instinctoid Nature of Needs (Maslow)

Certain human needs are innate or biologically determined, although learning and environmental influences can modify their expression.

Comparison of Higher and Lower Needs (Maslow)

Their differences are mainly in degree rather than kind.

Ruth Benedict and Max Wertheimer (Maslow)

Two psychologists who influenced Maslow and served as models/subjects in his study of Self-Actualization.

Quest for the Self-Actualizing Person

Focuses on the "Good Human Being."

4 Sub-areas Listed Under Criteria for Self-Actualization (Maslow)

Criteria; B-values; Metamotivation; Characteristics of Self-Actualizing People.

TRUE (All dates, credentials, and roles match Maslow's biography verbatim)

TRUE OR FALSE: Abraham Maslow was born on April 1, 1908, in Manhattan, New York, earned his PhD in Psychology in 1934, and served as President of the APA from 1967 to 1968.

FALSE (Behavior can be "conscious or unconscious, voluntary or involuntary, and may vary depending on circumstances")

TRUE OR FALSE: According to Maslow's Holistic-Dynamic Theory, human behavior is always conscious and voluntary, remaining constant regardless of changing circumstances.

TRUE (Matches Maslow's Complex Motivation assumption verbatim)

TRUE OR FALSE: Maslow's assumption of Complex Motivation states that a single behavior may be driven by several motives simultaneously, and these motives may be unconscious or unknown to the individual.

FALSE (Physiological needs are the most basic and prepotent; Safety and Security "can never be completely satisfied")

TRUE OR FALSE: According to Maslow, Safety and Security needs are the most basic and prepotent needs, and once satisfied, they are completely fulfilled permanently.

TRUE (Matches the verbatim definition and class sub-note for Neurotic Needs)

TRUE OR FALSE: In Maslow's theory, Neurotic Needs are unproductive needs that contribute to pathology and stem from the frustration, block, or deprivation of human needs.

FALSE (Reversed: Expressive behavior is often unmotivated and an end in itself; Coping behavior is always motivated and directed toward satisfying a need)

TRUE OR FALSE: Maslow stated that Expressive Behavior is always motivated and directed toward achieving a specific goal, whereas Coping Behavior is unmotivated and serves as an expression of natural personality.

FALSE (Under Unmotivated Behavior, Maslow believed "all behaviors have causes, but not all behaviors are motivated by needs")

TRUE OR FALSE: Maslow believed that all behaviors have causes, and therefore all behaviors are motivated by needs.

TRUE (Under Comparison of Higher and Lower Needs, "their differences are mainly in degree rather than kind")

TRUE OR FALSE: According to Maslow's principles, the differences between higher and lower needs are mainly in degree rather than kind.

Instinctoid

Which of the following is NOT one of the five assumptions of Maslow's View of Motivation? (Choices: Holistic; Complex; Instinctoid; Continuous)

Ruth Benedict and Max Wertheimer

Which pair of psychologists influenced Maslow's early career and served as his models for Self-Actualization? (Choices: Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler; Ruth Benedict and Max Wertheimer; Eugene Bleuler and Pierre Janet; Carl Jung and Toni Wolff)

Aesthetic Needs

Which category of needs in Maslow's theory is defined as the "desire for beauty and order"? (Choices: Cognitive Needs; Conative Needs; Aesthetic Needs; Neurotic Needs)

Motivated by deficit needs and directed toward achieving specific goals

Which of the following is a characteristic of Coping Behavior rather than Expressive Behavior? (Choices: Usually unconscious and spontaneous; Determined mainly by internal factors rather than the environment; Can occur without reinforcement or rewards; Motivated by deficit needs and directed toward achieving specific goals)

Reversed Order of Needs

Which principle of Maslow states that although needs generally follow a hierarchical order, their progression may occasionally be reversed? (Choices: Gradual Satisfaction of Needs; Reversed Order of Needs; Deprivation of Needs; Instinctual Nature of Needs)