fei75766_ch09_271-308.indd 286  02/06/20 12:09 PM
Part III    Humanistic/Existential Theories286
Differences between higher needs andlower onesarethose ofdegree andnotof
kind. First, higher levelneeds arelateronthephylogenetic orevolutionary scale. For
instance, onlyhumans (arelatively recent species) havetheneedforself-actualization. 
Also, higher needs appear laterduring thecourse ofindividual development ,andlower 
levelneeds mustbecared forininfants andchildren before higher levelneeds become 
operative.
Second, higher levelneeds produce more happiness andmore peakexperiences, 
although satisfaction oflower levelneeds mayproduce adegree ofpleasure. Hedonistic 
pleasure, however, isusually temporary andnotcomparable tothequality ofhappiness 
produced bythesatisfaction ofhigher needs. Also, thesatisfaction ofhigher levelneeds 
ismore subjectively desirable tothose people whohaveexperienced bothhigher and
lower levelneeds. Inother words, aperson whohasreached thelevelofself-actualization 
would havenomotivation toreturn toalower stage ofdevelopment (Maslow, 1970).
Self-Actualization
Maslow’s ideas onself-actualization began soon afterhereceived hisPhD, when he
became puzzled about whytwoofhisteachers inNewYork City—anthropologist 
Ruth Benedict andpsychologist MaxWertheimer—were sodifferent from average 
people. ToMaslow, these twopeople represented thehighest levelofhuman develop -
ment, andhecalled thislevel“self-actualization.” 
Maslow’s Quest for the Self-
Actualizing Person
What traits made Wertheimer andBene -
dictsospecial? Toanswer thisquestion, 
Maslow began totakenotes onthese 
twopeople ,andhehoped tofindoth-
erswhom hecould calla“Good Human 
Being.” However, hehadtrouble finding 
them. Theyoung students inhisclasses 
werewilling volunteers, butnone ofthem 
seemed tomatch Wertheimer andBene -
dictasGood Human Beings, causing 
Maslow towonder if20-year-old college 
students could beGood Human Beings 
(Hoffman, 1988).
Maslow found anumber ofolder 
people whoseemed tohavesome ofthe
characteristics forwhich hewassearch -
ing,butwhen heinterviewed these people 
tolearn what made them special, hewas
almost always disappointed. Typically, he
found them tobe“well-adjusted ...but
theyhavenoflame, spark, excitement, 
good dedication, feeling ofresponsibility” 
JaneAddams wasanactivist andsocial worker 
whofounded theprofession ofsocial work. She
wontheNobel Peace Prize in1931, becoming 
thefirstAmerican woman towinaNobel Prize. 
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