Abraham Maslow

Abraham Maslow

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Abraham Maslow

Abraham Harold Maslow (April 1, 1908 – June 8, 1970) was an American psychologist best known for creating Maslow's hierarchy of needs, a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling innate human needs in priority, culminating in self-actualization. Maslow was a professor of psychology at Brandeis University, Brooklyn College, New School for Social Research, and Columbia University. He stressed the importance of focusing on the positive qualities in people, as opposed to treating them as a "bag of symptoms."

Early Life and Education

Maslow was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He was the eldest of seven children born to his parents, who were Jewish immigrants from Russia. Maslow attended the City College of New York (CCNY) and later transferred to the University of Wisconsin, where he earned his bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees in psychology.

Career

Maslow began his career teaching at Brooklyn College. During this time, he met many leading European psychologists and thinkers who had fled the Nazi regime, including Alfred Adler and Erich Fromm. These interactions influenced his thinking and led him to develop his theories on human motivation and self-actualization.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory in psychology proposed by Maslow in his 1943 paper "A Theory of Human Motivation" in Psychological Review. This theory is often depicted as a pyramid consisting of five levels:

1. Physiological needs: These are the basic needs for human survival, such as air, water, food, shelter, and sleep. 2. Safety needs: Once physiological needs are met, the need for security and safety becomes prominent. This includes personal and financial security, health, and well-being. 3. Love and belonging: After safety needs are fulfilled, social needs emerge. These involve emotional relationships such as friendships, romantic attachments, and family. 4. Esteem needs: This level includes the need for self-esteem and respect from others. People need to feel valued and accepted by others. 5. Self-actualization: This is the highest level of Maslow's hierarchy. It refers to the realization of a person's potential, self-fulfillment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences.

Influence and Legacy

Maslow's work has had a significant impact on the field of psychology, particularly in the areas of humanistic psychology and positive psychology. His ideas have influenced various fields, including education, business, and healthcare, where understanding human motivation is crucial.

Related Pages

• Humanistic psychology
• Self-actualization
• Positive psychology
• Motivation

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