Here is a summary of the 16 traits that Maslow felt were typically found among "self actualizers", his term for maximally psychologically healthy people. It's somewhat amorphous, but interesting all the same. Please feel free to examine it at your leisure: 16 Distinguishing Characteristics of Self-Actualizing People from the writings of Abraham Maslow 1. They are realistically
oriented. Source: Theories of Personality, 3rd Edition, by Calvin S. Hall (Univ of Calif, Santa Cruz) and Gardner Lindzey (Stanford Univ), Copyright 1978 by John Wiley and Sons, Inc., pp. 266-275 (the list is on one of these pages!) Maslow is perhaps better known for his "Hierarchy of Needs", a conception I broadly agree with. Under this conception, human needs are arranged in ascending stages. If one does not achieve fulfillment in one of the earlier stages, one can "get stuck" and may be unable to rise to the higher stages. I found a fairly good presentation of this idea at this site: http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/regsys/maslow.html And here's a bit more of the Maslow text from the source above: "Maslow upbraids psychology for its 'pessimistic, negative and limited conception' of humans. He feels that psychology has dwelled more upon human frailties than it has upon human strengths; that it has thoroughly explored the sins while neglecting the virtues. Psychology has seen life in terms of an individual making desperate attempts to avoid pain rather than in taking active steps to gain pleasure and happiness. Where is the psychology, Maslow asks, that takes account of gaiety, exuberance, love, and well-being to the same extent that it deals with misery, conflict, shame, and hostility? Psychology 'has voluntarily restricted itself to only half of its rightful jurisdiction, and that the darker, meaner half.' Maslow has undertaken to supply the other half of the picture, the brighter, better half, and to give a portrait of the whole person." [Words for the use of the
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