Abraham Maslow's Self-Actualization Theory

Abraham Maslow was a psychologist and philosopher who immensely impacted his field of study. The field in which he focused was humanistic psychology, which can also be known as “third force” (Britannica, 2016). His ideas and thoughts are still talked about in present day and taught in psychology classes of all levels worldwide. Maslow had a way of observing things and being able to interpret them differently than other psychologists of his time (Morgan, 2012). This is partly why he had such a big impact on the field of psychology. He liked to observe people and their spirituality as well. His fresh and new way of thinking about people and events allowed him to put things together in ways that had not been previously thought of. He was a strong …show more content…
This was a belief he held that people who are happy in life meet a variety of similar basic needs that work together to contribute to oneself. Naturally as humans we all require relatively the same amount of care, protection, and resources to survive in day to day life. Abraham Maslow focused mainly on the social aspect of people and their wants and needs to live a stable and happy life. The Self-Actualization Theory can be compared to a pyramid where it starts at the base and eventually works its way to the top. The bottom layer being the physiological layer. This is the minimal basics one needs in order to protect their overall physical health. For example this can consist of food, water, and sleep. The next layer up is safety. The idea of protecting someone from the outside world. An example of this can be a roof over one 's’ head and a job to produce income that meets these needs. Love and Belonging is the next stage up, which is explained as having a family, someone who cares about you, or friendship. The fourth stage is esteem and this can be described as confidence, respect from others, and achievement. Maslow believed the final level of the Hierarchy of Needs consisted of self-actualization. This can include but is not limited to problem solving, lack of prejudice, and creativity (Maslow, …show more content…
People still strive to be in an environment they feel safe in, a way to express love, a opportunity to form friendships, and drive to push themselves toward success and achievement. Maslow was one of the first psychologist to actually look at what someone does right. That is what the Hierarchy of Needs was all about. What someone does right in self-actualization in order to achieve ultimate happiness in life. Although some of his beliefs were seen as controversial, many psychologists still believe he was correct in his theory of Self- Actualization. He enhanced psychology because he challenged certain limitations that were naturally put in by psychologists before him. His observation of behavior and the needs of humans has withstood the test of time thus far, making him an important contributor to the field of