Abraham Maslow, born of two uneducated Jews from Russia on April 1, 1908, was the oldest of seven children. Maslow was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and was also in a non Jewish neighborhood. While growing up during these times, he faced many hardships because of his religion. Abraham was secluded from the other children and spent most of his time alone or with his family. He quickly turned to books and newspapers to keep him busy when he wasn’t in school. As a benefit, Maslow was very smart in his childhood years and was always at the top of him class. He originally went to school later on in order to pursue law but then attended University of Wisconsin to study the field of psychology.
While at the University, Maslow married his first cousin Bertha and also attained a mentor that helped him with his studies. At Wisconsin, Abraham studied a particularly original topic. The basis of his studies was primate dominance, behavior, and sexuality. After finishing schooling in Wisconsin, Maslow went on to research the same studies at Columbia University, where he met another mentor that greatly assisted his research. In his 30’s and 40’s, Maslow was on the faculty of Brooklyn College and found another two mentors that would later become the starting point of his theories. Because the two mentors were such nice and yet accomplished people, Maslow decided to take notes of their actions and behaviors. This was where he began his lifelong obsession of mental health and human potential. He wrote extensively on the subject, borrowing ideas from other psychologists but also adding to them. Maslow later became the founder of the humanistic school of psychology that emerged in the 50’s and 60’s. In 1967, Maslow was announced the Humanist of the year by the American Humanist Associating. He
then went on to become a professor at Brandeis University for 10 years. After his time as a professor, he became a resident at The Laughlin Institute in California.
Cited: Envision. "Maslow 's Theory of Motivation - Hierarchy of Needs." Online Posting. Envision Software Inc. 10 Apr. 2009. Web. 20 Mar. 2010. <http://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Maslows_Needs_Hierarchy.html>. Personality Theories. "Abraham Maslow." Online Post. Personality Theories. Spring 1998. Web. 20 Mar. 2010. <http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/maslow.html>. Maslow, Abraham H. Toward a Psychology of Being. Princeton, N.J.: Van Nostrand, 1968. Print. Maslow, Abraham. "The Farther Reaches of Human Nature." Journal of Humanistic Psychology (1964): 3-25. Google Books. Web. 20 Mar. 2010. <http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=QbPVIsjlQ-EC&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=journal+of+humanistic+psychology+abraham+maslow