Final answer:
Maslow's hierarchy of needs posits that self-actualizing people are those who have satisfied their basic needs and are motivated by growth needs to achieve their full potential, regardless of gender or age. This concept is part of humanistic psychology, which focuses on the positive potential of humans and the motivation for personal growth and fulfillment.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the psychologist Abraham Maslow, self-actualizing people are those who have relatively satisfied their basic needs and have moved beyond them to achieve their full potential.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs begins with physiological needs, followed by needs for safety, belonging, esteem, and ultimately self-actualization at the top of the pyramid.
Self-actualization is seen as the realization of one's full potential and is often associated with traits such as creativity, fulfillment, and personal growth.
It is not more likely to be found in men than women or the young than old, and it is not motivated by deficiency needs but by growth needs. In later life, Maslow introduced the concept of self-transcendence, which goes beyond self-actualization to include striving for a purpose higher than oneself.
Humanistic psychology, introduced by figures like Maslow and Rogers, emphasizes the positive potential of human beings. Motivation, according to this view, is not just about addressing deficiency needs, but also about aspiring to growth and fulfillment. Critics of Maslow's theory argue that it can be too subjective and does not always account for all behaviors observed in reality. Nonetheless, his theory remains influential in understanding the motivation behind human behavior and the drive towards self-actualization.