Relates to Maslow's hierarchy of needs and proposes that individuals strive to fulfill each level of need in sequence. Only when lower-level needs are adequately met can higher-level needs become motivating factors. Maslow's theory highlights the importance of understanding these motivational needs in shaping an individual's personality development and behavior.

Columbia University

Butler University

Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) was a pioneering humanist psychologist who focused on the development of healthy individuals. He studied the lives of people he considered exemplary, such as Albert Einstein and Eleanor Roosevelt, to identify common traits among healthy, creative, and productive individuals. This research formed the basis for his influential theories, including the hierarchy of human needs.

Abraham Maslow

Olson, Matthew H., et al. An Introduction to Theories of Personality. 9th ed., Pearson, 2020. 

Reference

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a well-known humanistic theory of motivation which proposes that human beings share certain common needs. These needs are structured hierarchically and must be met in a specific order, typically starting from fundamental lower-level needs before progressing to higher-level needs.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow's Theory of Personality

As a key part of his humanistic approach, Abraham Maslow focused his research on the qualities of healthy, creative, and productive people to understand how healthy people develop. He analyzed the lives of exemplary figures, including Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and others, to identify the characteristics they share.

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