1. Theories of Personality Maslow: Holistic-Dynamic Theory
Chapter 10

2. Outline Overview of Holistic-Dynamic Theory Biography of Maslow
Maslow’s View of Motivation
Self-Actualization
Philosophy of Science
Measuring Self-Actualization

3. Outline The Jonah Complex Psychotherapy Related Research
Critique of Maslow
Concept of Humanity

4. Overview of Holistic-Dynamic Theory
Assumes Whole Person Is Motivated by One Need or Another
People Have Potential to Grow toward Psychological Health/Self-Actualization
Lower Level Needs Must Be Satisfied Before Higher Level Needs Can Be Met

5. Biography of Maslow Born in New York City in 1908
Oldest of seven children of Russian-Jewish immigrants
Harbors lifelong animosity toward mother
Received a PhD in 1934 in psychology from University of Wisconsin where he worked with Harry Harlow

6. Biography (cont’d)
Returns to New York in 1935 and works with E. L. Thorndike at Columbia University
Met and was influenced by Alfred Adler, Erich Fromm, and Karen Horney
In 1951, became chairperson of the psychology department at Brandeis University
President of American Psychological Association
Died in 1970 of a heart attack

7. Maslow’s View of Motivation
Holistic Approach to Motivation
Motivation Is Complex
People Are Continually Motivated by One Need or Another
All People Everywhere Are Motivated by the Same Basic Needs
Needs Can Be Arranged on a Hierarchy

8. Hierarchy of Needs Conative or Basic Needs Aesthetic Needs
Physiological
Safety
Love and belongingness
Esteem
Self-Actualization
Aesthetic Needs
The need for order and beauty
Cognitive Needs
The need for curiosity and knowledge
Neurotic Needs
An unproductive relating to other people

9. General Discussion of Needs
Reversed Order of Needs
Unmotivated Behavior
Conditioned reflexes, maturation, drugs
Expressive Behaviors
An end in itself, no purpose than to be
Person’s mode of expressions
Looking stupid, being relaxed
Coping Behaviors
Effortful, learned and triggered by external environment
Coping with the environment
Instinctoid Nature of Needs
Frustration of instinctoid need causes pathology

10. Self-Actualization Maslow’s Quest for the Self-Actualized Person
Criteria for Self-Actualization
Free from psychopathology
Have progressed through hierarchy of needs
Embracing of the B-values
Full use of talents, capacities, and potentialities
Values of Self-Actualizers
Motivated by Eternal Verities or B-Values
Metamotivation

11. Self-Actualization (cont’d)
Characteristics of Self-Actualizing People
More efficient perception of reality
Acceptance of self, others, and nature
Spontaneity, simplicity, and naturalness
Problem-centering
The need for privacy
Autonomy
Continued freshness of appreciation
The peak experience

12. Self-Actualization (cont’d)
Characteristics of Self-Actualizing People (cont.)
Gemeinschaftsgefuhl
social interest, community feeling, sense of oneness with all humanity
Profound interpersonal relations
The democratic character structure
Discrimination between means and ends
Philosophical sense of humor
Creativeness
Resistance to enculturation
Love, Sex, and Self-Actualization

13. Philosophy of Science
Maslow argued for a humanistic, holistic approach that is not value free
Psychological science should stress the importance of individual procedures
Scientists should put values, emotion, and ritual back into their work and be creative in their pursuit of knowledge

14. Measuring Self-Actualization
Personal Orientation Inventory (POI)
Comprehensive measure of the values and behaviors of self-actualizing people
Short Index of Self-Actualization
Brief Index of Self-Actualization
Four factors:
Core self-actualization
Autonomy
Openness to experience
Comfort with solitude

15. The Jonah Complex
The Jonah complex is an abnormal syndrome defined as the fear of being or doing one’s best
Probably all of us have some timidity about seeking perfection or greatness
People allow false humility to stifle creativity, and therefore they prevent themselves from becoming self-actualizing

16. Psychotherapy
The aim of therapy is for clients to embrace the being-values
Clients must be freed from their dependence on others so that their natural impulse to grow can become active
Psychotherapy must not be value free

17. Critique of Maslow Maslow’s Theory Is:
Very High on Organizing Knowledge
High on Guiding Action
Moderate on Generating Research, Internal Consistency, and Parsimony
Low on Falsifiability

18. Concept of Humanity Free Choice over Determinism
Optimism over Pessimism
Teleology over Causality
Conscious over Unconscious
Equal Emphasis on Culture and Biology
Uniqueness over Similarity