Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality
Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality
PSY/250
July 5, 2010
Biological and Humanistic perspectives on the development of the human personality have aided in the understanding of how humans develop their personalities. The Biological and Humanistic perspective theories provide insight into the causes and influences that affect the development and uniqueness of a personality. While both perspectives are quite helpful it is important to remember the contributions made to this field that were put forth by Abraham Maslow in his Hierarchy of needs. Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs helps put the need for human growth into perspective and helps us to understand the influence of these needs on personality development. Although these perspectives provide a starting point to understanding personality development, one must keep in mind that when used in conjunction with multiple methods we can achieve a much more accurate diagnosis of how personality is formed.
Abraham Maslow presented his Hierarchy of needs to help explain mans physiological needs.
Man has before anything else the need for water and food in order to survive. That 's why the physiological needs are the strongest of all the needs. When a person is hungry the area of consciousness is filled with the desire to eat and all the other needs steps in the background and is in a way non-existent.
(Psychosynthesis website, 2006) Maslow believed that the basic needs must be met first before one could reach the next level of the pyramid. After this need is met, going up the pyramid in order there is security, love and belonging, esteem, experience and purpose, and the need for self actualization. Beyond these needs, higher levels of needs exist. These include needs for understanding, esthetic appreciation and purely spiritual needs. In the levels of the five basic needs, the person does not feel the second need until the demands of the first have been satisfied or the third until the second has
PSY/250
July 5, 2010
Biological and Humanistic perspectives on the development of the human personality have aided in the understanding of how humans develop their personalities. The Biological and Humanistic perspective theories provide insight into the causes and influences that affect the development and uniqueness of a personality. While both perspectives are quite helpful it is important to remember the contributions made to this field that were put forth by Abraham Maslow in his Hierarchy of needs. Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs helps put the need for human growth into perspective and helps us to understand the influence of these needs on personality development. Although these perspectives provide a starting point to understanding personality development, one must keep in mind that when used in conjunction with multiple methods we can achieve a much more accurate diagnosis of how personality is formed.
Abraham Maslow presented his Hierarchy of needs to help explain mans physiological needs.
Man has before anything else the need for water and food in order to survive. That 's why the physiological needs are the strongest of all the needs. When a person is hungry the area of consciousness is filled with the desire to eat and all the other needs steps in the background and is in a way non-existent.
(Psychosynthesis website, 2006) Maslow believed that the basic needs must be met first before one could reach the next level of the pyramid. After this need is met, going up the pyramid in order there is security, love and belonging, esteem, experience and purpose, and the need for self actualization. Beyond these needs, higher levels of needs exist. These include needs for understanding, esthetic appreciation and purely spiritual needs. In the levels of the five basic needs, the person does not feel the second need until the demands of the first have been satisfied or the third until the second has
References: Psychosynthesis website. (2006). Maslow 's hierarchy of needs and subpersonality work. Retrieved July 4, 2006 from http://two.not2.org/psychosynthesis/articles/maslow.htm Net Industries. (2010). Personality Development – A Biological Perspective on Personality Development. Retrieved July 5, 2010 from, http://social.jrank.org/pages/474/Personality- Development-Biological-Perspective-on-Personality-Development.html Simons, J., Irwin, D., & Drinnien, B., (1987). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved July 4, 2010 from, http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/ guidebk/teachtip/maslow.htm AllPsych website. (2004). Genetic Research and Biological Theory. Retrieved July 4, 2010 from, http://allpsych.com/personalitysynopsis/biologicaltrends.html Salisbury website. (n.d.). The Humanistic Theories of Carl Rodgers. Retrieved July 4, 2010 from, http://facultyfp.salisbury.edu/iewhite/The%20Humanistic%20Theories %20of%20Carl%2 0Rogers.htm