Feist−Feist: Theories of
Personality, Seventh
EditionIII. Humanistic/Existential
Theories- Maslow: Holistic
Dynamic Theory
(^310) © The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2009
304 Part III Humanistic/Existential Theories
people refused to take any tests that might assess self-actualization. If this is true,
then the various inventories that purport to measure self-actualization may be inca-
pable of identifying the truly self-actualizing person. However, if researchers wish to
follow Maslow’s lead and use personal interviews, they will have few guidelines to
direct them. Because Maslow failed to provide an operational definition of self-
actualization and a full description of his sampling procedures, researchers cannot
be certain that they are replicating Maslow’s original study or that they are identify-
ing the same syndrome of self-actualization. Maslow left future researchers with
few clear guidelines to follow when attempting to replicate his studies on self-
actualization. Lacking operational definitions of most of Maslow’s concepts, re-
searchers are able to neither verify nor falsify much of his basic theory.
Nevertheless, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs framework gives his theory excel-
lent flexibility to organize what is known about human behavior.Maslow’s theory is
also quite consistent with common sense. For example, common sense suggests that
a person must have enough to eat before being motivated by other matters. Starving
people care little about political philosophy. Their primary motivation is to obtain
food, not to sympathize with one political philosophy or another. Similarly, people
living under threat to their physical well-being will be motivated mostly to secure
safety, and people who have physiological and safety needs relatively satisfied will
strive to be accepted and to establish a love relationship.
Does Maslow’s theory serve as a guide to the practitioner?On this criterion,
we rate the theory as highly useful. For example, psychotherapists who have clients
with threatened safety needs must provide a safe and secure environment for those
clients. Once clients have satisfied their safety needs, the therapist can work to pro-
vide them with feelings of love and belongingness. Likewise, personnel managers in
business and industry can use Maslow’s theory to motivate workers. The theory sug-
gests that increases in pay cannot satisfy any needs beyond the physiological and
safety levels. Because physiological and safety needs are already largely gratified for
the average worker in the United States, wage increases per se will not permanently
increase worker morale and productivity. Pay raises can satisfy higher level needs
only when workers see them as recognition for a job well done. Maslow’s theory sug-
gests that business executives should allow workers more responsibility and free-
dom, tap into their ingenuity and creativity in solving problems, and encourage them
to use their intelligence and imagination on the job.
Is the theory internally consistent?Unfortunately, Maslow’s arcane and often
unclear language makes important parts of his theory ambiguous and inconsistent.
Apart from the problem of idiosyncratic language, however, Maslow’s theory ranks
high on the criterion of internal consistency. The hierarchy of needs concept follows
a logical progression, and Maslow hypothesized that the order of needs is the same
for everyone, although he does not overlook the possibility of certain reversals.
Aside from some deficiencies in his scientific methods, Maslow’s theory has a con-
sistency and precision that give it popular appeal.
Is Maslow’s theory parsimonious,or does it contain superfluous fabricated
concepts and models? At first glance, the theory seems quite simplistic. A hierarchy
of needs model with only five steps gives the theory a deceptive appearance of sim-
plicity. A full understanding of Maslow’s total theory, however, suggests a far more
complex model. Overall, the theory is moderately parsimonious.