A Cognitive-Systemic Reconstruction of Maslow's Theory of Self-Actualization
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A COGNITIVE-SYSTEMIC RECONSTRUCTION OF
MASLOW'S THEORY OF SELF-ACTUALIZATION
by Francis Heylighen1
PESP, Free University of Brussels, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
Maslow's need hierarchy and model of the self-actualizing personality
are reviewed and criticized. The definition of self-actualization
is found to be confusing, and the gratification of all needs is concluded
to be insufficient to explain self-actualization. Therefore the
theory is reconstructed on the basis of a second-order, cognitive-systemic
framework. A hierarchy of basic needs is derived from the urgency
of perturbations which an autonomous system must compensate
in order to maintain its identity. It comprises the needs for homeostasis,
safety, protection, feedback and exploration. Self-actualization is
redefined as the perceived competence to satisfy these basic needs in
due time. This competence has three components: material, cognitive
and subjective. Material and/or cognitive incompetence during childhood
create subjective incompetence, which in turn inhibits the further
development of cognitive competence, and thus of self-actualization.
KEY WORDS: humanistic psychology, self-actualization, competence, cognition, autonomous systems, human
motivation, problem-solving.
TYPE OF ARTICLE: nonquantitative theory
DIMENSIONS AND UNITS: none
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INTRODUCTION enced by behaviorism, which tends to reduce
human behavior to statistical correlations
between different kinds of stimuli,
responses and personality traits. Instead of
merely modelling normal behavior or of
curing clear dysfunctions, a humanistic
psychologist tries to help people to develop
in a better way, thus making them more
competent, more aware, more happy, in the
hope of reaching some state of "optimal"
mental health [12].
ONE OF THE MAIN VALUES driving systems
research is to provide concepts
and methods for stimulating
learning, growth and development,
as well in individual persons as in society,
thus enhancing well-being and the overall
quality of life. The same positive aim characterizes
so-called humanistic psychology
[9], which defines itself as a "third force",
in contrast with clinical psychology, influenced
by Freudian psycho-analysis, which
studies mental illness, i.e. the negative side
of human behavior, and traditional academic,
experimental psychology, influ-
Probably the best known proponent of
this approach is Abraham Maslow. What
distinguishes his work from that of other
"humanists", such as Carl Rogers or Erich
Fromm [12], is that he proposes a model of
how a happy, healthy, well-functioning
39
Behavioral Science, Volume 37, 1992
40 HEYLIGHEN
person behaves, which is based on concrete
observations of real people, rather than on
formulating ideal requirements.