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Chapter 9    Maslow: Holistic-Dynamic Theory285
withsex,andsoon.Threats toone’s safety leadtofear,insecurity, anddread. When 
loveneeds gounfulfilled, aperson becomes defensive, overly aggressive, orsocially 
timid. Lack ofesteem results intheillnesses ofself-doubt, self-depreciation, andlack
ofconfidence. Deprivation ofself-actualization needs alsoleads topathology, ormore 
accurately, metapathology. Maslow (1967) defined metapathology astheabsence of
values, thelackoffulfillment, andthelossofmeaning inlife.
Instinctoid Nature of Needs
Maslow (1970) hypothesizes thatsome human needs areinnately determined even
though theycanbemodified bylearning. Hecalled these needs instinctoid needs. Sex,
forexample, isabasic physiological need, butthemanner inwhich itisexpressed 
depends onlearning. Formost people, then, sexisaninstinctoid need.
Onecriterion forseparating instinctoid needs from noninstinctoid needs is
thelevelofpathology upon frustration. Thethwarting ofinstinctoid needs produces 
pathology, whereas thefrustration ofnoninstinctoid needs doesnot.Forexample, 
when people aredenied sufficient love,theybecome sickandareblocked from achiev -
ingpsychological health. Likewise, when people arefrustrated insatisfying theirphysi -
ological, safety, esteem, andself-actualization needs, theybecome sick.Therefore, 
these needs areinstinctoid. Ontheother hand, theneed tocomb one’s hairortospeak 
one’s native tongue islearned, andthefrustration ofthese needs doesnotordinarily 
produce illness. Ifonewould become psychologically illastheresult ofnotbeing able
tocomb one’s hairortospeak one’s native language, thenthefrustrated need isactu-
allyabasic instinctoid need, perhaps loveandbelongingness orpossibly esteem.
Asecond criterion fordistinguishing between instinctoid andnoninstinctoid 
needs isthatinstinctoid needs arepersistent andtheirsatisfaction leads topsycho -
logical health. Noninstinctoid needs, incontrast, areusually temporary andtheirsat-
isfaction isnotaprerequisite forhealth.
Athird distinction isthatinstinctoid needs arespecies-specific. Therefore, ani-
malinstincts cannot beusedasamodel forstudying human motivation. Only humans 
canbemotivated byesteem andself-actualization.
Fourth, though difficult tochange, instinctoid needs canbemolded, inhibited, 
oraltered byenvironmental influences. Because many instinctoid needs (e.g., love) 
areweaker thancultural forces (e.g., aggression intheform ofcrime orwar), Maslow 
(1970) insisted thatsociety should “protect theweak, subtle, andtender instinc -
toidneeds iftheyarenottobeoverwhelmed bythetougher more powerful culture” 
(p.82).Stated another way,eventhough instinctoid needs arebasic andunlearned, 
theycanbechanged andevendestroyed bythemore powerful forces ofciviliza -
tion.Hence, ahealthy society should seekways inwhich itsmembers canreceive 
satisfaction notonlyforphysiological andsafety needs butalsoforlove,esteem, and
self-actualization needs.
Comparison of Higher and Lower Needs
Important similarities anddifferences existbetween higher levelneeds (love, esteem, 
andself-actualization) andlower levelneeds (physiological andsafety). Higher needs 
aresimilar tolower onesinthattheyareinstinctoid. Maslow (1970) insisted that
love,esteem, andself-actualization arejustasbiological asthirst, sex,andhunger.Final PDF to printer