Chapter 9 Maslow: Holistic-Dynamic Theory 279Maslow’s Psychology and Philosophy of Science
Maslow’s philosophy of science and his research methods are integral to an
understanding of how he arrived at his concept of self-actualization. Maslow
(1966) believed that value-free science does not lead to the proper study of human
personality. Maslow argued for a different philosophy of science, a humanistic,
holistic approach that is not value free and that has scientists who care about the
people and topics they investigate. For example, Maslow was motivated to search
for self-actualizing people because he idolized and greatly admired Max Wertheimer
and Ruth Benedict, his two original models for self-actualization. But he also
expressed affection and admiration for Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, and
other self-actualizing people (Maslow, 1968a).
Maslow agreed with Allport (see Chapter 12) that psychological science
should place more emphasis on the study of the individual and less on the study
of large groups. Subjective reports should be favored over rigidly objective ones,
and people should be allowed to tell about themselves in a holistic fashion instead
of the more orthodox approach that studies people in bits and pieces. Traditional
psychology has dealt with sensations, intelligence, attitudes, stimuli, reflexes, test
scores, and hypothetical constructs from an external point of view. It has not been
much concerned with the whole person as seen from that person’s subjective view.
When Maslow attended medical school, he was shocked by the impersonal
attitude of surgeons who nonchalantly tossed recently removed body parts onto a
table. His observation of such a cold and calloused procedure led Maslow to orig-
inate the concept of desacralization: that is, the type of science that lacks emotion,
joy, wonder, awe, and rapture (Hoffman, 1988). Maslow believed that orthodox
science has no ritual or ceremony, and he called for scientists to put values, cre-
ativity, emotion, and ritual back into their work. Scientists must be willing to
resacralize science or to instill it with human values, emotion, and ritual. Astron-
omers must not only study the stars; they must be awestruck by them. Psycholo-
gists must not only study human personality; they must do so with enjoyment,
excitement, wonder, and affection.
Maslow (1966) argued for a Taoistic attitude for psychology, one that would
be noninterfering, passive, and receptive. This new psychology would abolish predic-
tion and control as the major goals of science and replace them with sheer fascination
and the desire to release people from controls so that they can grow and become less
predictable. The proper response to mystery, Maslow said, is not analysis but awe.
Maslow insisted that psychologists must themselves be healthy people, able to
tolerate ambiguity and uncertainty. They must be intuitive, nonrational, insightful, and
courageous enough to ask the right questions. They must also be willing to flounder,
to be imprecise, to question their own procedures, and to take on the important prob-
lems of psychology. Maslow (1966) contended that there is no need to do well that
which is not worth doing. Rather, it is better to do poorly that which is important.
In his study of self-actualizing people and peak experiences, Maslow
employed research methods consistent with his philosophy of science. He began
intuitively, often “skating on thin ice,” then attempted to verify his hunches using
idiographic and subjective methods. He often left to others the technical work of
gathering evidence. His personal preference was to “scout out ahead,” leaving one
area when he grew tired of it and going on to explore new ones (M. H. Hall, 1968).