Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs

Paper Summary:

This essay examines the aspects of Abraham Maslow's theory of the hierarchy of human needs. It describes in what way Maslow overcomes the limitations of behaviorist psychology. The essay further describes how the theory bridges the gap between psychology and existentialism. It goes on to claim that Maslow manages to overcome the pessimism of modern existentialism, and that "self actualization" is a positive concept as opposed the "wretchedness of the human condition" which is advanced by Sartre, Heidegger, Nietzsche and other existential philosophers. It puts forward the holistic character of Maslow's theory. Finally, the essay draws parallels to Aristotle's ideas concerning the fulfillment of the rational soul.

From the Paper:

"In the positivistic frame of psychology all needs are considered to be material. Though emotional needs are admitted, they are described entirely in materialistic terms. Maslow proposes a hierarchy of needs that ascends from the lowest level of basic material needs, and gradually takes into account the needs that are less material, and so must be posited from a more and more philosophical point of view. He describes five levels of need. At the bottom are physiological needs, then comes the need for safety and security, then come the need for love and belonging, then the need for being respected, and finally the need for self-actualization (Coon and Mitterer 338)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Drake, David. Sartre. Haus Publishing, 2005.
• Heylighen, Francis. "A Cognitive Systematic Reconstruction of Maslow's Theory of Self-Actualization." Behavioral Science 37 (1992): 39-58.
• Sartre, Jean-Paul. Being and nothingness: an essay on phenomenological ontology. Routledge, 1969.
• Sheehy, Noel. Fifty Key Thinkers in Psychology. New York: Routledge, 2003.
• Coon, Dennis and Mitterer, John O. Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and Behavior. Cengage Learning, 2008.

More papers on Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs:

• Essay # 59640 : "Hierarchy of Human Needs"
• Essay # 94164 : "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs"
• Term Paper # 124047 : "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: