Final answer:
The claim that Maslow brought a mechanistic perspective to the study of motivation is False. His humanistic approach, with the hierarchy of needs theory focusing on psychological needs, encompasses growth and self-actualization, which diverges from a mechanistic viewpoint.
Step-by-step explanation:
Abraham Maslow is often credited with a humanistic approach to the study of motivation rather than bringing a mechanistic perspective. The statement that Maslow brought a mechanistic perspective to the study of motivation is False. Maslow's hierarchy of needs is centered on the idea that human beings have certain psychological needs that must be fulfilled in a specific order for individuals to reach their full potential; this is in stark contrast to a mechanistic view, which would imply a reductionist and determinist approach.
Maslow asserted that once basic survival needs such as food, water, and shelter are met, higher-level needs, like social and self-actualization needs, would begin to motivate behavior. The top tier of his hierarchy is self-actualization, which focuses on achieving one's full potential. Moreover, humanistic psychologists like Maslow and Carl Rogers significantly contributed to our understanding of self-actualization and emphasized free will and self-determination, with each person having a desire to grow and become the best version of themselves. This focus on positive potential and growth differentiates humanistic psychology from more mechanistic or deterministic views.