MASLOW: toward a psych. of being

Essay by starlaxoUniversity, Bachelor's March 2004

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Psychology is the very important perspective for human nature. It is a huge aspect for the individual environment. The field of psychology has a number of subdisciplines devoted to the study of the different levels and contexts of human thought and behavior that includes theories and systems. Many people make an attempt to explore this science, but it takes dedication to actually get something out of it. Abraham Maslow is a big impact on Psychology.

In Abraham Maslow's "Toward a Psychology of Being", he starts out advocating for a health and growth psychology, in which the basic values are obtained from research and clinical experiences with healthy persons, it is not about deficiencies or about getting 'unsick'. Maslow explains that the ideas of psychology can learn from existentialists, who promote the psychology of an advanced and true 'self'. Moreover, Maslow discusses the meanings of growth, motivation, and cognition.

He expresses the potential in human beings to be loving, noble, and creative. He introduced the idea to Psychology that humans are capable of pursuing the highest of values and aspirations.

Maslow brought the idea to Psychology that each of us has "an essential biologically based inner nature," (p. 5). Each person's inner nature has some parts which are common to all humans, and some are unique to that individual. Maslow points out that this inner nature, our basic emotions and our basic needs are intrinsically 'good' (healthy). Behaviors, which some call 'evil' seem to be "not intrinsic, but rather violent reactions against frustrations of our intrinsic needs, emotions and capacities" (p. 5). Since this inner nature is positive rather than negative, Maslow says it is "best to bring it out and to encourage it, rather than to suppress it" (p. 5).

Maslow argues that "deficiency-need-gratification-bent" and "self-actualizing" (p.27) people...