Mg365 Paper
Running Head: A LOOK AT PRESIDENT LINCOLN THROUGH MASLOW’S EYES
A Look at President Lincoln Through Maslow’s Eyes
Name
Park University
Organizational Behavior MG365
Robert Quesada
July 10th, 2011
A Look at President Lincoln Through Maslow’s Eyes Studying human development has been an important undertaking for many years. Knowledge brought forth by scholars studying this topic has answered many questions; such as why humans behave and act the way they do. It is believed that “the behavior of individuals at a particular moment is usually determined by their strongest need” (Hersey reference pg. 30). Abraham Maslow, a well-known scholar, categorized human needs and arranged them in a hierarchy of sorts. His theory states that physiological needs must be met first as they are the most important needs for survival. These needs are then followed by safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, and finally self-actualization needs respectively (Hersey reference pg. 30). President Abraham Lincoln is one individual who was able to fulfill all of Maslow’s needs, before his assassination in 1865. President Lincoln was born in Hardin County, Kentucky (Abraham Lincoln, 2010). He and his family lived in a log cabin on a farm, where they were able to provide sustenance for themselves. Although Abe Lincoln grew up poor his basic needs were met. His parents were still able to provide him with what Maslow considers the physiological needs- “food, clothing, shelter” (Hersey reference pg. 31). Per Maslow’s theory Abe Lincoln’s physiological needs were met.
According to Maslow, “once physiological needs become satisfied, the safety, or security, needs become predominate” (Hersey reference pg. 31). These needs include feeling free from danger and fear. Although, Lincoln’s mother died his father remarried Sarah Bush Johnston who was a “kind and affectionate stepmother to the boy” (Abraham
A Look at President Lincoln Through Maslow’s Eyes
Name
Park University
Organizational Behavior MG365
Robert Quesada
July 10th, 2011
A Look at President Lincoln Through Maslow’s Eyes Studying human development has been an important undertaking for many years. Knowledge brought forth by scholars studying this topic has answered many questions; such as why humans behave and act the way they do. It is believed that “the behavior of individuals at a particular moment is usually determined by their strongest need” (Hersey reference pg. 30). Abraham Maslow, a well-known scholar, categorized human needs and arranged them in a hierarchy of sorts. His theory states that physiological needs must be met first as they are the most important needs for survival. These needs are then followed by safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, and finally self-actualization needs respectively (Hersey reference pg. 30). President Abraham Lincoln is one individual who was able to fulfill all of Maslow’s needs, before his assassination in 1865. President Lincoln was born in Hardin County, Kentucky (Abraham Lincoln, 2010). He and his family lived in a log cabin on a farm, where they were able to provide sustenance for themselves. Although Abe Lincoln grew up poor his basic needs were met. His parents were still able to provide him with what Maslow considers the physiological needs- “food, clothing, shelter” (Hersey reference pg. 31). Per Maslow’s theory Abe Lincoln’s physiological needs were met.
According to Maslow, “once physiological needs become satisfied, the safety, or security, needs become predominate” (Hersey reference pg. 31). These needs include feeling free from danger and fear. Although, Lincoln’s mother died his father remarried Sarah Bush Johnston who was a “kind and affectionate stepmother to the boy” (Abraham
References: Abraham Lincoln. (2010). Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, 1. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Hersey, P., Blanchard, K. H., & Johnson, D. E. (2008). Management of Organizational Behavior: Leading human resources. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Jones, M. (2008). Who Was More Important: Lincoln or Darwin? (Cover story). Newsweek, 152(1/2), 30-34. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.