Happiness and Self Actualization Under Conditions of Strain: A Sample of Homeless Men, relates well to our text information regarding Maslow’s theory of self actualization. In our text, Maslow presents the hierarchy of human needs which details the interactions of human motivation, D-needs, and B-needs. Motivation refers to the reduction of tension by satisfying deficit states or lacks derived from two types of needs. The first, D-needs or deficiency needs, are indicative of an organism's physiological needs for survival. While the second, B-needs or beings needs, refer to an organism’s drive to self actualize and fulfill its inherent potential (Engler, 2014. p. 323). The article questions Maslow's assumption that D-needs must be fulfilled
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It is difficult to imagine a more strenuous life than that of a homeless person as it can be difficult to get a job, maintain social connects, and even fulfill basic physiological needs without a domicile of some kind. Authors of the study suggested that homelessness made the perfect condition to study personality under strain. They suggested that personality plays a larger role in the subjective well being and happiness of an individual than the environment factors, life events, or demographics of a person (Bundrick, p. 1). This helps to answer how persons can achieve self actualization and happiness under conditions of strain. From an outside perspective one might assume that homeless individuals have given up their desire to move forward or self actualize. However, upon more intimate examination it is clear that survival as a homeless man takes awareness and goals. Homeless individuals must survive on limited resources without harm to themselves or incarceration due to criminal activity; this leads them to cope with their circumstances in creative and often understated ways. The article postulates that “resourceful coping as an outlook for life may allow them to move forward toward self actualization…” despite their situation seeming contradictory to that objective (Bundrick, p. …show more content…
Occupying the second highest position on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs self esteem is explained as a need to respect oneself and to have respect from others (Engler, p. 324). Self esteem includes competences, confidence, mastery, acceptance and recognition; all of which may seem unachievable for homeless individuals. According to the article self esteem takes an initial dip when an individual first becomes homeless however, it rebounds after about four years of homelessness. After a four year period an individual is able to accept their identity as homeless and self esteem is able to return to a customary level. Homeless men must rely on the decisions they make to survive and with this greater reliance on the self rather than society an individual begins to value their ability to competently take care of themselves. While the experience of homeless may not initially seem to be confidence building, it creates circumstance in which individuals value their personal attributes rather than worldly possessions. This is an attribute shared by happy people who tend to use internal standards of comparison rather than societal ones. The article states, “a homeless person may define self worth based on guidelines such as honesty, strength, and autonomy which are features that might be characterized as self esteem” (Bundrick, p. 3). Given this ability to maintain and even
It is difficult to imagine a more strenuous life than that of a homeless person as it can be difficult to get a job, maintain social connects, and even fulfill basic physiological needs without a domicile of some kind. Authors of the study suggested that homelessness made the perfect condition to study personality under strain. They suggested that personality plays a larger role in the subjective well being and happiness of an individual than the environment factors, life events, or demographics of a person (Bundrick, p. 1). This helps to answer how persons can achieve self actualization and happiness under conditions of strain. From an outside perspective one might assume that homeless individuals have given up their desire to move forward or self actualize. However, upon more intimate examination it is clear that survival as a homeless man takes awareness and goals. Homeless individuals must survive on limited resources without harm to themselves or incarceration due to criminal activity; this leads them to cope with their circumstances in creative and often understated ways. The article postulates that “resourceful coping as an outlook for life may allow them to move forward toward self actualization…” despite their situation seeming contradictory to that objective (Bundrick, p. …show more content…
Occupying the second highest position on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs self esteem is explained as a need to respect oneself and to have respect from others (Engler, p. 324). Self esteem includes competences, confidence, mastery, acceptance and recognition; all of which may seem unachievable for homeless individuals. According to the article self esteem takes an initial dip when an individual first becomes homeless however, it rebounds after about four years of homelessness. After a four year period an individual is able to accept their identity as homeless and self esteem is able to return to a customary level. Homeless men must rely on the decisions they make to survive and with this greater reliance on the self rather than society an individual begins to value their ability to competently take care of themselves. While the experience of homeless may not initially seem to be confidence building, it creates circumstance in which individuals value their personal attributes rather than worldly possessions. This is an attribute shared by happy people who tend to use internal standards of comparison rather than societal ones. The article states, “a homeless person may define self worth based on guidelines such as honesty, strength, and autonomy which are features that might be characterized as self esteem” (Bundrick, p. 3). Given this ability to maintain and even