Abraham Maslow is best known for his Hierarchy of Needs, something we all learn in one health class or another. This is only a small part of his larger theory of self-actualization. Friedman and Shustack described self-actualization as “…an innate process by which [he or she] tends to grow spiritually and realize [his or her] potential (2012, p. 307).” Maslow's theories fall into the category of humanistic and existential psychology, primarily humanistic, because they address the fact that as human beings we are more than just our biological needs and that we have certain aspects that make us " humans.” Humanistic psychology recognizes that we have these basic needs to survive, but rather than focusing solely on these needs as the driving force that creates us, as many previous psychologists have done, namely Freud and his belief that sex was the only possible condition. Driving everyone's actions, humanistic psychology encompasses the entire human experience. Friedman and Shustack point out that, based on the concept of humanistic psychology and self-actualization, it is recognized that "[being] deprived of companionship, or being deprived of the meaning of one's life can be just as terrifying and deadly as being deprived of food (2012, p. 307). »Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Abraham Mallow's theory of self-actualization is based on the idea that humans have a drive to understand "who we are" by reflecting inwardly. . The term “organism” is often used to express theories based on this form of inner reflection, emphasizing the natural tendency of an organism to follow its natural course (Friedman & Schustack, 2012, p. 310). Maslow believed that in order to move forward on the path to self-actualization, we have certain needs that must be met in order to progress. At the bottom are the most basic biological needs such as food, water and shelter. The next stage is the need to feel safe in our environment, then the need to feel love and belong to a group is satisfied, followed by the need for self-esteem. Once all of these lower needs are met, we can then move toward self-actualization since we are no longer concerned with more immediate needs (Friedman & Schustack, 2012, pp. 311-312). Maslow also talks about peak experiences, these are “powerful, meaningful experiences in which people seem to transcend their self, become one with the world, and feel completely fulfilled… (Friedman & Schustack, 2012, p. 308 ).» It can also be described as déjà vu, chance or revelation. Although these experiences are not classified as “mystical” or “religious,” they are described as “ephemeral, truth-illuminating spiritual events” by psychologist and philosopher William James (Friedman & Schustack, 2012, p. 308). . I'm sure we can all relate to the concept of hierarchy of needs because there was probably a time when we all tried to study but found it difficult due to exhaustion or we heard our parents say beat in the next room to get results. the third time this week. I know I have had times where I questioned whether I had made the right decisions and found myself finding confirmation through a peak experience. I chose Maslow's theory of self-actualization to apply to my personality development because of the hierarchy ofneeds and the idea of ​​cutting-edge experiences. I lived the first nine years of my life in a fairly small town in Utah where everyone knew everyone, and everyone knew everyone. other people's affairs. I knew where I belonged and what was expected of me. I was very sociable, independent and adventurous. At the beginning of my third year, my father received a promotion that required us to move out of state. We had a choice of two locations, Pocatello, ID or Boise, ID. We chose Boise because there had been two that year in Pocatello and my mother wasn't happy with the idea of ​​living there if she wanted to worry about the safety of my brother and me. I was afraid of moving to a place I had never been, I didn't know a single person, and it seemed so far away from my friends. It was really disorienting for me and I felt out of place when I went to my new school. The other students in my class seemed nice enough, but I still couldn't get over the feeling of being "new." My independence and sense of adventure were gone. I was no longer the outgoing little girl I had been, I had become withdrawn and unsure of who I was because I didn't know what these new people expected of me. Although I slowly began to regain my sense of identity, I was never as outgoing as I was before I moved. I regained all my sense of independence, in fact it was stronger than before. However, one persistent problem I had was a feeling of anxiety that flared up from time to time, especially at the thought of spending the night at a friend's house. The worst case was when I was in sixth grade and we went camping in the field for four days and three nights. I was so homesick all the time that I had to call my mother in tears every day to beg her to come pick me up. She always convinced me that I should stay and see how I felt the next day with the promise that if I was still unhappy she would come get me. Even though it was the worst homesickness I had ever had, it helped me regain the sense of security I needed to branch out more and take more risks because I knew that no matter what, it happens, my mother would always be there for me. . This was an example of how my need for security was hindering my ability to achieve true self-actualization, according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Once I was able to establish this sense of security, I was able to start working more on my self-esteem. I have had several impactful experiences in my life that I believe made me know I was on the right path. The first one that really comes to mind is a time when I was about eight years old and I was on a bike ride with my brother. We had been on a winding journey with no real defined destination. We decide to take a short break near a bridge which spans a fairly narrow stream surrounded by trees. As we sat in the shade and had our snack, my brother noticed something hidden among the trees. It was a rusty old car from the 40's or 50's that someone had probably dumped there years ago. There was also a pile of bones nearby, probably those of a dead deer the previous winter, but as kids we made up stories about a long-ago car crash, a Bonnie and Clyde-style shootout , or even a suicide that took place. unnoticed for years. What I remember most distinctly is the relationship that developed in my mind with a car slowly rusting away to disappear next to the bones of an animal that was once alive. It was at that moment that I realized that we..