Feist−Feist: Theories of
Personality, Seventh
EditionIII. Humanistic/Existential
Theories- Maslow: Holistic
Dynamic Theory
(^300) © The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2009
Gemeinschaftsgefühl
Self-actualizing people possess Gemeinschaftsgefühl,Adler’s term for social inter-
est, community feeling, or a sense of oneness with all humanity. Maslow found that
his self-actualizers had a kind of caring attitude toward other people. Although they
often feel like aliens in a foreign land, self-actualizers nevertheless identify with all
other people and have a genuine interest in helping others—strangers as well as
friends.
Self-actualizers may become angry, impatient, or disgusted with others; but
they retain a feeling of affection for human beings in general. More specifically,
Maslow (1970) stated that self-actualizing people are “often saddened, exasperated,
and even enraged by the shortcomings of the average person” (p. 166), but never-
theless, they continue to feel a basic kinship with that person.
Profound Interpersonal Relations
Related to Gemeinschaftsgefühlis a special quality of interpersonal relations that in-
volves deep and profound feelings for individuals. Self-actualizers have a nurturant
feeling toward people in general, but their close friendships are limited to only a few.
They have no frantic need to be friends with everyone, but the few important inter-
personal relationships they do have are quite deep and intense. They tend to choose
healthy people as friends and avoid intimate interpersonal relationships with de-
pendent or infantile people, although their social interest allows them to have a spe-
cial feeling of empathy for these less healthy persons.
Self-actualizers are often misunderstood and sometimes despised by others.
On the other hand, many are greatly loved and attract a large group of admirers and
even worshipers, especially if they have made a notable contribution to their busi-
ness or professional field. Those healthy people studied by Maslow felt uneasy and
embarrassed by this veneration, preferring instead relationships that were mutual
rather than one-sided.
The Democratic Character Structure
Maslow found that all his self-actualizers possessed democratic values. They could
be friendly and considerate with other people regardless of class, color, age, or gen-
der, and in fact, they seemed to be quite unaware of superficial differences among
people.
Beyond this democratic attitude, self-actualizers have a desire and an ability to
learn from anyone. In a learning situation, they recognize how little they know in re-
lation to what they could know. They realize that less healthy individuals have much
to offer them, and they are respectful and even humble before these people. How-
ever, they do not passively accept evil behavior in others; rather, they fight against
evil people and evil behavior.
Discrimination Between Means and Ends
Self-actualizing people have a clear sense of right and wrong conduct and have lit-
tle conflict about basic values. They set their sights on ends rather than means and
have an unusual ability to distinguish between the two. What other people consider
294 Part III Humanistic/Existential Theories