The Self-Determination Theory: Abraham Maslow And Carl Rogers

In the beginning of the formulation of the self-determination theory, Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers began to realize that people tend to naturally develop on their own. This inherent development and growth often leads them fulfill their full potential, being all that they can be. The self-determination theory has adopted the notion that individuals are also innately motivated to take initiative and aim for unity in an attempt to work toward their full functioning. In addition, the theory also suggests that satisfying the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are essential to achieve self-actualization or “full functioning”. Once these basic needs are met, the individual will become more autonomously motivated …show more content…
Intrinsic motivation is an innate characteristic that involves participating in an activity strictly for personal desire or pleasure. This type of motivation helps to fulfill our basic psychological needs, but can diminish with the presentation of punishment and rewards. Contrary to intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation involves engaging in a particular activity to achieve a promised reward or to avoid a punishment. The third type involves motivation through emotions. The extent to which a child’s basic psychological needs are satisfied depends on the context of how they were raised which then results in different levels of self-actualization. Continuous and consistent satisfaction of the basic psychological needs is crucial for an individual to recognize and realize their full potential and to ultimately achieve complete self-actualization (Deci et el., …show more content…
In reality, it is quite the opposite. Although Maslow claims that we are have an inherent desire to reach our full potential, there is no exact formula given or specific action that is required to successfully achieve self-actualization. This being said, some individuals realize their full potential earlier in life than others. A reason for this is due to the fact that we all come from different backgrounds. Some of us meet our need for safety when we are young children, whereas others may not be able to satisfy this basic need until adulthood due to the conditions of their childhood upbringing. There may also be hurdles along the way that have the potential to lower our self-esteem or sense of love and belonging that ultimately delay the process to full functioning. Overall, the journey to attain self-actualization is not an easy path. There will always be twists and turns, ups and downs thrown at us, but they should never be the reason for complete discouragement when searching for the highest level of satisfaction: