Final answer:
Abraham Maslow is the humanistic psychologist who developed the Hierarchy of Needs theory, highlighting the progression of human motivation from basic physiological needs to self-actualization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The humanistic psychologist who introduced the concept of the Hierarchy of Needs, culminating in self-actualization, is Abraham Maslow. He proposed that human motivation is driven by a series of needs that begin with basic physiological requirements such as food and shelter. Only when these needs are met can individuals move up the pyramid, addressing higher-level psychological needs culminating in self-actualization, a state where one achieves their fullest potential.
Abraham Maslow's hierarchy is often depicted as a pyramid. At its base lie physiological needs, with successive levels representing safety needs, belongingness and love needs, esteem needs, and finally self-actualization at the peak of the pyramid. Maslow's work emphasized the innate human drive towards personal growth, psychological health, and the fulfillment of one's individual potential.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs remains a fundamental concept in psychology, exploring how human motivation is rooted in the fulfillment of a series of needs, from the most basic to the most sophisticated pursuits of personal purpose and meaning.