Abraham Maslow
Kevin Page
Routledge eBooks October 9, 2018 DOI: 10.4324/9781351130950-8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 1 |
| Key points | Argues that Maslow's humanistic and transpersonal psychology, including the hierarchy of needs and the study of "self-actualization" in exceptionally healthy people, shifted psychology toward healthy functioning and laid groundwork for positive psychology. Proposes actor exercises applying the hierarchy to personal and character needs and to exploring peak experiences and talents. |
Abstract
Abraham Maslow started two revolutions in psychology, humanistic and transpersonal psychology. Humanistic psychology, which started as a protest movement against behaviorism and psychoanalysis, looked at the sense of self more than the unconscious or external behavior, and took into account the internal emotional landscape, as well as the psychology of healthy functioning (instead of being focused exclusively on neurosis and disfunction). Maslow created a theory of human motivation called the hierarchy of needs and studied people who were extra healthy or mature, a state he called self-actualization. Maslows investigations into healthy and even exceptional psychological functioning would pave the way for what we now call positive psychology. Actor exercises include analyzing our needs (and those of our characters) based on Maslows hierarchy model, as well as exploring our peak experiences and greatest embodiment of our own talents.