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Chapter 9    Maslow: Holistic-Dynamic Theory275
gangs thatroamed hisBrooklyn neighborhood andthatneeded noexcuse toterrorize 
young Maslow andother Jewish boys.
Being intellectually gifted, Abefound some solace during hisyears atBoys High 
School inBrooklyn, where hisgrades wereonlyslightly better thanaverage. Atthe
same time, hedeveloped aclose friendship withhiscousin WillMaslow, anoutgoing, 
socially active person. Through thisrelationship, Abehimself developed some social 
skills andwasinvolved inseveral school activities (Hoffman, 1988).
After Maslow graduated from Boys High School, hiscousin Willencouraged 
himtoapply toCornell University, butlacking self-confidence, Maslow selected the
lessprestigious CityCollege ofNewYork. Atabout thistime, hisparents divorced 
andheandhisfather became lessemotionally distant. Maslow’s father hadwanted 
hiseldestsontobealawyer, andwhile attending CityCollege, Maslow enrolled in
alawschool. However, hewalked outofthelawclasses onenight, leaving hisbooks 
behind. Significantly, hefeltthatlawdealt toomuch withevilpeople andwasnotsuf-
ficiently concerned withthegood people .Hisfather, although initially disappointed, 
eventually accepted Maslow’s decision toquitlawschool (M.H.Hall, 1968).
Asastudent atCityCollege, Maslow didwellinphilosophy andother courses 
thatsparked hisinterest. However, incourses thathedidnotlike,heperformed 
sopoorly inwhich hewasplaced onacademic probation. After three semesters, 
hetransferred toCornell University inupstate NewYork partly tobecloser tohis
cousin Will, whoattended thatschool, butalsotodistance himself from hisfirst
cousin Bertha Goodman, withwhom hefellinlove(Hoffman, 1988). AtCornell, too,
Maslow’s scholastic work wasonlymediocre. Hisintroductory psychology professor 
wasEdward B.Titchener, arenowned pioneer inpsychology whotaught allhis
classes infullacademic robes. Maslow wasnotimpressed. Heregarded Titchener’s 
approach topsychology ascold, “bloodless,” andhaving nothing todowithpeople.
After onesemester atCornell, Maslow returned totheCityCollege ofNewYork, 
nowtobenearer toBertha. After thefortuitous event described intheopening vignette, 
AbeandBertha weresoon married butnotbefore overcoming hisparents’ resistance. 
Maslow’s parents objected tothemarriage partly because hewasonly20andshewas
only19.However, theirstrongest fearwasthatamarriage between firstcousins might 
result inhereditary defects inanypossible offspring. Thisfearwasironic inlightofthe
factthatMaslow’s parents themselves werefirstcousins andhadsixhealthy children. 
(One daughter diedduring infancy butnotbecause ofanygenetic defect.)
Onesemester before hismarriage, Maslow hadenrolled attheUniversity of
Wisconsin, from which hereceived aBAdegree inphilosophy. Inaddition, hewas
quite interested inJohn B.Watson’s behaviorism, andthisinterest prompted himto
takeenough psychology courses tomeet prerequisites foraPhDinpsychology. As
agraduate student, heworked closely withHarry Harlow, whowasjustbeginning 
hisresearch withmonkeys. Maslow’s dissertation research ondominance andsexual 
behavior ofmonkeys suggested thatsocial dominance wasamore powerful motive 
thansex,atleastamong primates (Blum, 2002).
In1934, Maslow received hisdoctorate, buthecould notfindanacademic 
position, partly because oftheGreat Depression andpartly because ofananti-Semitic 
prejudice stillstrong onmany American campuses inthose years. Consequently, he
continued toteach atWisconsin forashort timeandevenenrolled inmedical school 
there. However, hewasrepulsed bythecoldanddispassionate attitude ofsurgeons Final PDF to printer