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Self-actualizing people in the psychology of A. H. Maslow
Želimir Puljić
Abstract
In this article is presented Maslow's approach to personality. His overriding goal was to learn how much potential we have for full human development and expression. He believed that to investigate psychological health, the only kind of person to study was the extremely healthy one, selfactualizimg. What moves the self-actualizing person?
In Maslow's View, all human beings possess an inmate striving or tendency to become self-actualizing. The prerequisite for achieving self-actualization is satisfying the four needs which stand lower in the hierarchy: 1. the physiological needs; 2. the safety needs; 3. the belonging and love needs; 4. the esteem needs. If we have satisfied all these needs, we are then driven by the highest need: the need for self- actualization.
Beyond the general points of self-actualization as the supreme development and use of all our abilities, the fulfillment of ail our qualities 'and capacities, we have discussed a number of specific characteristics which describe self-actualize-rs according to Maslow's theory: 1. An efficient perception of reality. 2. A general acceptance of nature, others and oneself. 3. Spontaneity, simplicity and naturalness. 4. A focus on problems outside themselves. 5. A need for privacy and independence; autonomous functioning. 6. Mystical, or "peak" experiences and continued freshness of appreciation. 7. Social interest and interpersonal relations. 8. A democratic character structure and an non hostile sense of humor. 9. Discrimination between means and ends, between good and evil. 10. Creativeness and resistance to enculturation. 11. Dedication to some task "outside themselves"
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Hrčak ID:
90189
URI
Publication date:
15.9.1980.
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