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The Psychology of Abraham Maslow

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DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.4697.0407

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Running head: ABRAHAM MASLOW PSYCHOLOGY 1

The Psychology of Abraham Maslow

David Grinstead

Atlantic University

February 1990

Author Note

David Grinstead, Transpersonal Studies Department, Atlantic University

David Grinstead is now at Department of Continuing Education, Alamance Community

College.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to David Grinstead,

Department of Continuing Education, Alamance Community College, P.O. Box 8000, Graham,

NC 27253-8000. Contact: dcgrinstead879@access.alamancecc.edu.

More information regarding the author is available at www.linkedin.com/in/livealife.

ABRAHAM MASLOW PSYCHOLOGY 2

The Psychology of Abraham Maslow

The corner stone of Maslow’s psychology are his ideas regarding the inner nature of man.

It is a nature that is biologically based, natural and unchanging. Though it is partially species

wide, it is particularly unique to self. This nature can be scientifically studied and discovered.

Basic human needs, emotions and capacities are not evil or good; they are neutral; therefore, this

nature is not inherently evil. Because it is not good or evil, it should be encouraged and

permitted to guide our lives resulting in happiness and growth. If this essential core is

suppressed, it causes sickness and unhappiness. At best, it is weak and easily overcome by habit,

culture and wrong attitudes. Even when its existence is denied, it never goes away, even in a

sick person; and is constantly trying to get out. Discipline, deprivation, frustration, pain, and

tragedy are necessary because these experiences foster and fulfill his inner nature. (1968, pp. 3-

4)

Psychologically speaking, that which designates a normal human being is in reality a

psychopathology of the average. It depicts a life style that is so widespread and nondramatic that

we don’t even notice it ordinarily. In general, this normal life is one of general phoniness,

illusion, and fear; showing that it is a sickness that is widely spread. (1968, p. 16)

The authentic person who seeks to employ full humanness transcending himself and his

culture in various ways is the normal person. (1968, pp. 11-12) It is the inner core that drives

man in this direction seeking self-authenticity. When this inner core is ignored or repressed it

results in personality problems that act as a loud protest against the crushing of one’s inner

nature. Living one’s life in a way that is less than what it should be can result in neurosis

(Maslow’s definition of neurosis) which is defined as “related to spiritual disorders, to loss of

ABRAHAM MASLOW PSYCHOLOGY 3

meaning, to doubts about the goals of life, to grief and anger over a lost love, to seeing life in a

different way, to loss of courage or of hope, to dislike of oneself, to recognition that one’s life is

being wasted.” (1976, p. 30) All of these represent a falling away from full humanness.

What is involved in achieving a state of full humanness? How does one arrive at it?

Maslow declares that the concept of tension reduction, homeostasis, lack of pain, etc., as a basis

for motivation is lacking in insight and is circular in nature. “It’s only striving is toward

cessation, toward getting rid of itself, toward a state of not wanting” (1968, p. 29) How does this

relate to the desire for change, development, movement, how do people get smarter, make

advances or have zest for living if the only desire is to achieve a constant state of rest?

“In practically every human being, and certainty in almost every newborn baby …there is

an active will toward health, an impulse toward growth, or toward the actualization of human

potentialities.” (1976, p. 24) Need gratification is the single most important principle underlying

this active will towards growth. Growth is progressive satisfaction of basic needs as well as

specific growth motivation other than needs. As emerging lower needs are fulfilled by being

sufficiently gratified, new and higher needs emerge. The gratification of needs (goals) causes

increased motivation, a desire for more and more resulting in growth, in and of itself, becoming a

satisfying and rewarding process. Growth is long term in character and can last a life time.

Pleasure is obtained from growing and being grown. Healthy people are able to transform

activity into end experiences – so the activity is enjoyed while obtaining an end. (1968, pp. 30-

31)
ABRAHAM MASLOW PSYCHOLOGY 4

There are some needs which are shared by all members of a species such as food, shelter,

sun, water, safety, love, and status. These are species-wide goals. Once the basic species wide

needs are satisfied, individuality develops. The individual develops his own style, personality

and unique self. When these idiosyncratic goals are satisfied, the individual becomes inner

directed. (1968, pp. 33-34)

This development of a unique selfhood is termed self-actualization which while being

pursued as an end becomes a means to growth. Self-actualization is ongoing – growth oriented,

it is a pressing forward to fullness – good values, serenity, kindness, courage, honesty, love,

unselfishness and goodness. (1968, p. 155)

People that are not self-actualizers are deficiency motivated. They see the world in a

black and white manner categorizing things, people, and events. The result is a valuing, judging,

interfering, condemning attitude towards others and life at large. They are need motivated which

often results in exploiting, blustering, and overriding with a selfish need to control. Others are

seen as objects to be used to meet needs. This deficiency motivation is not applicable to the

attainment of full humanness or higher human relations. (1968, pp. 36-44)

Very few people actually achieve self-actualization. Most experience it as an urge, hope,

drive, a wishing for something not yet achieved. Simultaneously you are what you are while

becoming what you can be. Self-actualizers exhibit values that are goals. They desire what is

good for others and self by doing right because they want to, need to, enjoy doing right, approve

of doing right and continue to enjoy doing right. There is self-control and self-discipline which

is not found in the average person. Duty and pleasure, work and play, self-interest and altruism,

individualism and selflessness all become the same thing in healthy self-actualizers. (1968, pp.
ABRAHAM MASLOW PSYCHOLOGY 5

159-164) They are good at perceiving reality and truth and are rarely confused about right and

wrong being quicker to make ethical decisions than the average person. (1976, p. 118) Believing

in a cause, a vocation, and my work; is their mission in life which is done for the sake of ultimate

fulfillment. (1976, pp. 184-185)

There two types of self-actualizers: (1) the healthy ones with little or no transcendence

experience – the Y’s (2) those that a transcendent experience was important and central too – the

Z’s. This is known as theory Y and Z. (1976, p. 270)

The merely – healthy self-actualizers fulfill the expectations of theory Y (nontranscending

self-actualizers). They represent those more involved in the here and now secular existence – the

practical, pragmatic, and concrete. They are healthy and well-adjusted but of this world. Theory

Z is for people known as peakers: those having transcended self-actualization thereby fulfilling

and transcending and surpassing theory Y. Both shares the common traits of self-actualization

expect the Z’s have experienced a greater number of peak experiences, B-cognitions, and plateau

experiences. (1976, pp. 272-273)

The peak experience is a moment of highest fulfillment and greatest happiness such as:

the parental experience, the mystic, a nature experience, an aesthetic perception, a creative

moment, intellectual insight, the orgasmic experience, athletic fulfillment, etc. During such

experiences, “the world looks more honest, and naked, more true, or is reported to look more

beautiful than at other times.” (1968, p. 102) There are two components of the peak experience

“the emotional one of ecstasy and an intellectual one of illumination.” (1968, p. 51) They do not

necessarily occur simultaneously. It is an end product of developing greater autonomy,

achieving self-identity and self-transcendence.

ABRAHAM MASLOW PSYCHOLOGY 6

The after-effects of a peak experience are very positive. It has therapeutic effect by

causing symptom removal such as a conversion experience, the view of self changes in a healthy

way. The view of the world and the view of others and relations to others are changed. Life

becomes more worthwhile and validated calling for greater creativity, spontaneity and

expressiveness. (1968, pp. 101-102) You acquire the ability to discover your identity by

listening inwardly to impulse voices, your won guts, and their reactions to what is going on

inside of you. (1976, p. 171) Though the peak experience has much positive impact, it is not a

permanent experience and requires that man return to the ordinary world.

To describe behavior and attitudes associated with peak experiences, Maslow used the

concept of B-cognition. It describes how a self-actualizer views self, expresses self, or interacts

with the world. He is more spontaneous and expressive. Behavior flows; it is emitted easier and

is more honest. Self, others and all reality is perceived better. (1976, p. 160)

This improved perception results in B-love versus the impoverished D-love (deficiency

love) which is incomplete or partial in its expression of love. “The B-lover is able to perceive

realities in the beloved to which others are blind, i.e., he can be more acutely and penetratingly

perceptive.” (1968, p. 73) B-love is a richer, higher, greater experience than D-love. It allows

full development of others, gives self-image a sense of worth, and provides self-acceptance. The

benefits and effects of experiencing B-love are profound and widespread much like experiencing

the love of the perfect God. It is completely enjoyed, non-possessive, and almost always

pleasure giving. B-lovers are independent of each other, but more helpful in self-actualization of

each other, altruistic and generous. (1968, pp. 42-43)

ABRAHAM MASLOW PSYCHOLOGY 7

Peak experiences produce values that people are willing to die for or to pay for with great

effort, pain, and suffering. These are B-values the highest values existing within human nature

waiting to be discovered. They do not come from a supernatural God but from human nature.

(1968, p. 170) They are the highest values because they come from the best people during their

best moments under the best conditions. The same values that the great religionists and

philosophers and great thinkers have agreed on are B-values, the highest values in life. (1976, pp.

104-105) Living B-values is living the spiritual life. B-values are as necessary as vitamins and

love. Without them, even if not neurotic, a person will “suffer from a cognitive and spiritual

sickness, for to a certain extent your relationship with reality is distorted and disturbed.” (1976,

p. 186) Though B-values are not hierarchical in and of themselves one is as important as the

next. They all interrelate and one is defined in terms of the others. They transcend many

traditional dichotomies such as selfishness, unselfishness, religious, secular, flesh and spirit.

(1976, p. 186)

In all people there is an inner civil war between the forces of defenses and control. These

forces are resolved in a self-actualized person causing a deeper acceptance of the deeper self that

come from the deep roots of creativeness. (1968, p. 141) This primary creativeness is different

from secondary creativeness which is a technique that enables the uncreative person to work

with others in a structured way that allows him to create and discover.

Coming out the deeper self, primary creativeness is the ability “to be spontaneous and,

what’s more important for us here, creativity, which is a kind of intellectual play, which is a kind

of permission to be ourselves, to fantasy, to let loose, and to be crazy, privately.” (1976, p. 82)

In many ways it is like the creativeness that comes from happy and secure children. It is natural,
ABRAHAM MASLOW PSYCHOLOGY 8

flowing, and less controlled, coming directly from the personality and is manifested in the

ordinary affairs of life. This creativity is an inherent trait in human nature that is present at birth

which is lost, buried or inhibited as a person grows into adulthood. With self-actualized growth,

it is regained. Instead of stressing problem solving or product making, it stresses qualities of

character such as boldness, freedom, courage, spontaneity, self-acceptance, integration, all of

which make possible self-actualized creativity. (1968, pp. 137-145)

Because of primary creativeness, self-actualizers see the world as it is and want to change

it – to improve it. They are not afraid of the unknown or unfamiliar, but are often attracted to it,

puzzling and meditating over it. Such people are often accused of causing trouble within an

organization because they are considered unconventional, a little bit odd, called undisciplined,

occasionally inexact and unscientific. (1976, p. 89) This unconventionality comes from listening

to the inner voices which can provide great insight; however, such insight can lead one to make

mistakes. A habitually creative person knows that a large portion of great moment of insight

may never work out. What happens is that the “spontaneity (the impulses from our best self)

gets confused with impulsivity and acting out (the impulses from our sick self) and there is then

no way to tell the difference.” (1976, p. 333)

Education’s goal should be the awakening and fulfillment of B-values as expressed

through self-actualization. It would result in people being stronger, healthier, living lives to the

greatest extent possible. The reward of doing and learning – that experience of awe, wonder, and

mystery would become more common place. This is intrinsic education – learning how “to be a

human being in general.” (1976, p.163)

ABRAHAM MASLOW PSYCHOLOGY 9

The peak experience that is naturally occurring in children is crushed and discouraged by

the current education system. The standard educational model of 35 kids in a class with lots of

material to be finished in a certain time period forces the teacher to pay more attention to

orderliness and lack of noise. This results in learning not being a joyful experience. Leaning is

more efficient when it is enjoyable. The teacher as lecturer, conditioner, reinforce, and boss

needs to be changed to the Taoist helper or teacher who is receptive not intrusive. (1976, pp.

180-181)

Extrinsic learning with its required response to grades and examinations and classical

schooling requiring forced participation needs to be replaced with a new kind of education. An

education “which moves toward fostering the new kind of human being that we need, the process

person, the creative person, the improvising person, the self-trusting courageous person.” (1976,

p. 96) The use of nonverbal education through art, music, dancing, etc. is needed. Fostering

creativity, teaching children to confront the here-now, to improvise, using it as a growth

technique to permit deeper layers of psyche to emerge. This is intrinsic education – in music,

art, dancing and rhythm. These should be the core curriculum resulting in the removal of the

balance of the school curriculum from the “value-free, value-neutral, goal-less meaninglessness

into which it has fallen.” (1976, p. 172) The ultimate goal of education is to uncover and help

out, a process of growing into the best human being possible, to help transcend the values of

one’s culture by picking and choosing objectively from society personal likes and dislikes.

Valuelessness is the ultimate disease of our times. The affluence of Western society

shows the spiritual, ethical and philosophical hunger of people. This affluence has essentially

removed the sense of lacking which causes one to strive towards a goal. Striving for something
ABRAHAM MASLOW PSYCHOLOGY 10

that one lacks gives a feeling of purpose and meaning. When one lacks nothing, he has nothing

to strive for leaving a sense of emptiness or worthlessness. (1983, p. 38) Accompanying this

valuelessness is the neurosis of success. People struggle long and hard to achieve goals and

success, yet upon attainment the sense of emptiness reappears. They are happy and hopeful

during the struggle while seeking false panaceas so long as they are not attained. When reached,

hopelessness ensures and continues until new hopes become possible. (1983, p. 83)

The naturalistic value free version of science of the 19th century, often held in high

esteem by religious liberals and non-theists, has tried to eradicate the non-rational. This has

failed to fill the void because it leaves a blank, boring, cold philosophy of life that fails to do

what religions have tried to do – “inspire, to awe, to comfort, to guide in the value choices.”

(1983, p.42) All too often science is too narrowly conceived being seen as having nothing to say

about ultimate values. It has nothing to do with ideals or end values being instead amoral and

not ethical. Science produces technology without direction becoming an end of itself without

purpose. (31983, p.13)

Religion all too often stands on the opposite side of science providing partial definitions

and partial answers to ultimate questions. Compartmentalizing life, one part for the secular and

the other part for the sacred, religion loses its daily usefulness. This produces a cripple-religion

that represents cripple-values. (1983, p. 13) The sacred and profane, religious and secular are

not separable for both are opposite sides of the same coin, each one half of the same circle, they

encompass all that is life.

This emptiness, void, hunger for ultimate values represents a religious question, a

religious quest. Religions are expressions of human aspirations, a desire to become if able –
ABRAHAM MASLOW PSYCHOLOGY 11

what one desires to be. Religious questions are valid questions concerning serious ultimate

concerns. This quest verifies the human need for self-actualization because it is a striving toward

self-actualization. The description of self-actualizers parallels in many ways the ideals put forth

by religion: “transcendence of self, wisdom, honesty, naturalness, transcendence of selfish and

personal motivations, giving up lower desires in favor of higher ones, kindness, easy

differentiation between ends and means, decreases of hostility, cruelty and destructiveness.”

(1983, p. 158)

The desire for these values, self-actualization, is a naturalistic urge and does not require

super naturalistic explanations. The ecstatic core of the religious experience, the essence, the

beginning point of illumination for every high religion began with a lonely individual, very

sensitive prophet, or seer. Such a mystical illumination can be subsumed or the same as peak

experience or transcendent experience. Though cloaked in religious and cultural supernatural

explanations such experiences were really natural human peak experiences. (1983, pp. 19-20)

All men and women do or can have peak experiences. A peak experience cuts across all non-

common ground – the content of the experience is approximately the same but the trigger of the

situation may differ coming from different sources. (1983, p. 28)

Spiritual and ethical values as well as the hungers, needs or desires for such cannot be

turned over to a Church for safe keeping. Neither can they be removed from the realms of

science, per healthy skeptical examination or empirical investigation. “Personal revelations – the

mystic experience, the peak experience, the personal illumination” – these should be the focus of

examination. (1983, p. 47) A humanistic psychology, an inclusive science that is able to study
ABRAHAM MASLOW PSYCHOLOGY 12

values and teach mankind about them should be the examiner, protector, and conveyor of

spiritual and ethical values; plus an expanded science that is concerned with ultimate concerns.

A Critique of Key Ideas

When I first began to meditate, I found it most difficult to empty my mind of thoughts

and relax. The harder I tried, making every conscious effort possible, the more the ability to

mediate eluded me. The one day I just quit trying and to my amazement, I was able to meditate.

Likewise, when trying to master the proper techniques of newspaper advertising layout and

design, I made little progress until I learned to flow and just let my mind make it happen.

The harder a person consciously tries to make something happen in their life, the more

effort (will power) expended in achieving a goal, the more difficult it becomes to achieve the

desired goal. Basically the degree of difficulty in achieving a goal is equal to the amount of

conscious effort expended creating an ever widening chasm between the effort and the goal.

An adolescent may wish to act like an adult and be treated like an adult, but the harder he

tries to gain acceptance in an adult world the more he messes up, proving that he is still a child.

The end result may be poor self-confidence, embarrassment, depression, feelings of rejection,

etc. Then one day it happens, he is treated with respect, his opinions are valued, his company is

enjoyed by adults, he attains adulthood. The goal of adulthood was not achieved at any

particular time or in any particular way, it just happened when he was least expecting it to

happen.

The subconscious is like water in that it finds its own level. A person is where he is

because that is where his subconscious knows that is where he needs to be. Self-actualization

cannot be willed, it can only be desired. The subconscious will allow only as much self-
ABRAHAM MASLOW PSYCHOLOGY 13

actualization as it is ready to handle, and that occurs without foreknowledge. It just happens, and

after the fact, you become consciously aware of it. So it is best to be active, occupying one’s

mind applying what one already knows, seeking to be the best that one presently knows how to

be; and it is during this process of being that one become what one desires to be. Like a flower

gradually unfolding one pedal at a time until it is wholly and completely revealed in its entire

natural and spiritual splendor. Self-actualization is not achieved by looking inward, focusing

attention on self. It occurs while projecting the current personal inner substance outward and

actively living what one has already become.

The peak experience may be natural, it may occur in various ways, and it may result in

behavior or value changes reflective of a higher level of consciousness; but it is not the same as

encountering God face-to-face. There is a major difference between a sudden conversion

experience that causes a 180 degrees behavior change in an alcoholic, drug addict, habitual

criminal, etc. and a pleasant nature experience, intellectual insight, the orgasmic experience,

athletic fulfillment, or a creative moment. Anyone having come face-to-face with the living God

knows the difference. Such an encounter is natural in that anyone desiring it enough can

experience it; however, the desire and longing comes from man, but it is God who initiates the

encounter.

Religion generally is an extension of the culture in which it is expressed. The public

forum may be that it exists to proclaim the truth as revealed by its founder; however, many times

its main function is to maintain the status quo within its membership. Instead of prompting

concerns of conscience that cause introspection and reflection, too often it surrounds the

conscience with an impenetrable wall that stifles rather than protects. Popular religion tends to
ABRAHAM MASLOW PSYCHOLOGY 14

divide the world an life into conflicting sides – one part for God and the other part for Caesar, the

secular and the spiritual. Under such conditions, a private moment alone with God can be much

more comforting and revealing. Regardless of the liturgy, it is hard to experience the spiritual

flow in the static environment that is expressed in many institutionalized religious worship

services. In such circumstances, I agree with Maslow that religion hampers rather than helps.
 ABRAHAM MASLOW PSYCHOLOGY 15

References

Maslow, A. (1976). The Farther Reaches of Human Nature. New York, NY: Penguin

Maslow, A. (1968). Toward a Psychology of Being. New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

Maslow, A. (1983). Religions, Values and Peak Experiences. New York, NY: Penguin

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