Final answer:
Growth according to Maslow's hierarchy occurs when lower-level needs like physiological and safety needs are met, paving the way for the attainment of self-actualization, the peak of personal growth and potential.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, growth only occurs when lower-level needs are satisfied first. Maslow's theory proposes that basic physiological requirements for survival, such as food and shelter, need to be met before higher-level needs, like self-esteem and self-actualization, can influence behavior. At the apex of this hierarchy is the concept of self-actualization, which represents achieving one's full potential and is seen as the fulfillment of personal growth.
Maslow's theory also recognizes the possibility of self-transcendence, where individuals may sacrifice their own needs to achieve a greater purpose or meaning, as seen in cases like Mohandas K. Gandhi's hunger strikes for political change. Humanistic psychologists like Maslow and Carl Rogers believed in the innate potential for humans to grow and reach self-actualization, emphasizing a positive human nature and free will in personal development.