How is the need for self-actualization determined? What is a self-actualized person? It is called humanistic, because it recognizes the personality as the main subject as an integral unique system, which is not something given in advance, but an open

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The human need for self-actualization

Introduction

1. Definition of self-actualization according to A. Maslow

2. Characteristics of self-actualizing people

3. Development of the theory of self-actualization in domestic science

Conclusion

Bibliography

Introduction

Self-actualization (from lat. actualis - real, real) - a person's desire for the fullest possible identification and development of his personal capabilities. In some areas of modern Western psychology, self-actualization is put forward (as opposed to behaviorism and Freudianism, which believe that the behavior of a person is driven by biological forces, and its meaning is to discharge the tension they create and adapt to the environment) as the main motivational factor.

Genuine self-actualization presupposes the presence of favorable socio-historical conditions. Self-actualization is the continuous realization of potential capabilities, abilities and talents, as the fulfillment of one's mission, or calling, destiny, etc., as a more complete knowledge and, therefore, acceptance of one's own original nature, as a relentless desire for unity, integration, or internal synergy of personality.

The problem of self-actualization was actively developed by A. Maslow. He believed that self-actualization is the highest human need, in accordance with the "pyramid of needs". In accordance with his theoretical positions, a person is capable of satisfying higher (according to the pyramid) needs only after the lower ones are satisfied. Therefore, in order for a person to be able to self-actualize, he must first satisfy all other needs in accordance with the pyramid.

1. Definition of self-actualization according to A. Maslow

Abraham Maslow described self-actualization as the desire of a person to become what he can become. A person who has reached this level of development achieves the full use of his talents, abilities and potential of the individual. Self-actualization means becoming the person we can become, reaching the peak of our potential. In Maslow's words, "Musicians must play music, artists must paint, poets must write poetry if they are to be at peace with themselves after all. People should be who they can be. They must be true to their nature." Maslow A. Self-actualization.// Psychology of personality. Texts. - M., 1982.

Self-actualization does not necessarily have to take the form of creative effort, expressed in the creation of a work of art. A parent, an athlete, a student, a teacher or a machine operator, all can actualize their potential by doing the best they can; specific forms of self-actualization are very diverse. It is at this highest level of the hierarchy of needs that people differ most from one another. Maslow suggested that most, if not all, people need and seek inner improvement.

His own research led to the conclusion that the urge to realize our potentials is natural and necessary. And yet only a few - usually gifted - people achieve it (less than 1% of the total population, according to Maslow). Part of the reason things are so unfortunate is that many people simply don't see their potential; they do not know about its existence, and do not understand the benefits of self-cultivation. Perhaps they tend to doubt and even be afraid of their abilities, thereby reducing the chances for self-actualization. Maslow called this phenomenon the Jonah complex. It is characterized by a fear of success that prevents a person from striving for greatness and self-improvement. In addition, the social and cultural environment often suppresses the tendency to actualize certain norms in relation to some part of the population.

An example of this is the cultural stereotype of masculinity. Human qualities such as empathy, kindness, gentleness, and tenderness often get in the way of men because there is a cultural tendency to view these characteristics as "unmasculine." Or consider the overwhelming influence of the traditional female role on the psychosocial development of women.

Based on this, the actualization of higher potentials in the general mass is possible only under “good conditions”. Or, more precisely, people need an "enabling" society in which to develop their human potential to the fullest. From this point of view, no society in human history has provided an optimal opportunity for self-actualization of all its members, although, it must be admitted, some are still much better than others in terms of providing conditions for self-improvement of the individual.

The last obstacle to self-actualization mentioned by Maslow is the strong negative influence exerted by security needs. The process of growth requires a constant willingness to take risks, to make mistakes, to give up old habits. It takes courage. Therefore, anything that increases a person's fear and anxiety also increases the tendency to return to seeking safety and protection.

It is also obvious that most people have a strong tendency to retain specific habits, that is, to adhere to the old style of behavior. The fulfillment of our need for self-actualization requires openness to new ideas and experiences. If a large number of people achieved self-actualization, then the needs of humanity as a whole could change, and there would be more opportunities to meet the needs of lower levels. Obviously, such a task will require a significant reorganization of many of our social institutions and political structures.

2. Characteristics of self-actualizing people

Achieving self-actualization means an ideal lifestyle. According to Maslow, these people represent the "color" of the human race, its best representatives. He also believed that these people have reached the level of personal development that is potentially inherent in each of us. Of course, as in the case of any abstract image of ideal mental development, self-actualization cannot be achieved simply by following the prescriptions.

On the contrary, it is a slow and painful process that is better viewed as a constant search rather than reaching a fixed point. Each person seeks to realize his inner potential in his own way. Therefore, any attempt to apply Maslow's criteria for self-actualization must be tempered by the understanding that each person must consciously choose their own path of self-improvement, striving to become who they can be in life.

Maslow concluded that self-actualizing people have the following characteristics.

More adequate perception of reality.

Self-actualizing people are able to perceive the world around them, including other people, correctly and impartially. They see reality as it is, not as they would like to see it. They are less emotional and more objective in their perception and do not allow hopes and fears to influence their assessment. Through this perception, self-actualizing people can easily detect falsehood and dishonesty in others. Maslow found that this ability extends to many areas of life, including art, music, science, politics, and philosophy.

Expectations, anxieties, stereotypes, false optimism or pessimism also have a lesser effect on the perception of a self-actualizing person. Maslow called this undistorted perception "Being or B-cognition." Related to highly objective perception is the fact that self-actualizing people are more tolerant of inconsistency and uncertainty than most people. They are not afraid of problems that do not have unambiguous right or wrong solutions. They welcome doubt, uncertainty, and untrodden paths.

Acceptance of self, others and nature.

Self-actualizing people can accept themselves for who they are. They are not overcritical of their shortcomings and weaknesses. They are not weighed down by excessive feelings of guilt, shame and anxiety - emotional states that are generally so inherent in people. Self-acceptance is also clearly expressed at the physiological level. Self-actualizing people accept their physiological nature with pleasure, feeling the joy of life. They have a good appetite, sleep, they enjoy their sex life without unnecessary inhibitions. Basic biological processes (eg, urination, menstruation, aging) are considered part of human nature and are favorably accepted. In a similar way, they accept other people and humanity in general. They do not have an overwhelming need to teach, inform, or control. They can bear the weaknesses of others and are not afraid of their strength. They realize that people suffer, grow old and eventually die.

Immediacy, simplicity and naturalness.

The behavior of self-actualizing people is marked by spontaneity and simplicity, lack of artificiality or desire to produce an effect. But this does not mean that they constantly behave contrary to tradition. Their inner life (thoughts and emotions) is unconventional, natural and spontaneous. But this unconventionality is not intended to impress, they may even suppress it so as not to upset others, and observe certain formalities and rituals. Hence, they can adapt to shield themselves and other people from pain or injustice. For this reason, for example, self-actualizing people may be tolerant of educational practices adopted in various educational institutions that they consider stupid, boring, or stupefying. However, when the situation calls for it, they can be uncompromising even under the threat of ostracism and condemnation. In short, they don't hesitate to reject social norms when they feel it's necessary.

Problem-centered.

Maslow believed that all the individuals he examined, without exception, were committed to some task, duty, vocation, or favorite work that they considered important. That is, they are not ego-centered, but rather oriented towards problems that are above their immediate needs, problems that they consider to be their life mission. In this sense, they live to work rather than work to live; work is subjectively experienced by them as their defining characteristic. Maslow compares the preoccupation of self-actualizing people with work with a love story: "work and man seem to be meant for each other... man and his work fit together and belong to each other like a key and a lock."

· Independence: the need for privacy.

Maslow writes that self-actualizing people are in great need of the inviolability of the inner life and solitude. Since they do not seek to establish dependency relationships with others, they can enjoy wealth and the fullness of friendship.

The need for solitude and self-confidence are also manifested in other aspects of the behavior of self-actualizing people. For example, they remain calm and equanimous when they are beset by personal misfortunes and failures. Maslow explains this by saying that self-actualizing people tend to have their own view of the situation, and not rely on the opinions or feelings that other people demonstrate about this issue. Indeed, they are themselves a driving force resisting society's attempts to force them to adhere to social conventions.

· Autonomy: independence from culture and environment.

Based on the characteristics discussed above, it can be assumed that self-actualizing people are free in their actions, regardless of the physical and social environment. This autonomy allows them to rely on their own potential and internal sources of growth and development. For example, a truly self-actualizing college student does not need the "correct" academic atmosphere of a college campus. He can study everywhere because he has himself. In this sense, it is a "self-sufficient" organism.

· Freshness of perception.

Self-actualizing people have the ability to appreciate even the most ordinary events in life, while feeling novelty, awe, pleasure, and even ecstasy. For example, the hundredth rainbow is as beautiful and majestic as the first; a walk in the woods is never boring; the sight of a child playing uplifts the mood. Unlike those who take happiness for granted, self-actualizing people value good fortune, health, friends, and political freedom. They rarely complain about a boring, uninteresting life.

Peak or mystical experiences

While studying the process of self-actualization, Maslow came to an unexpected discovery: many of his subjects had what he called summit experiences. These are moments of great excitement or high tension, as well as moments of relaxation, peace, bliss and tranquility. They are ecstatic states that are experienced at the climax of love and intimacy, in impulses of creativity, insight, discovery and merging with nature. Such people can "turn on" without artificial stimulants. They are already included in the fact that they are alive.

According to Maslow, apex or mystical experiences are not of a divine or supernatural nature, although they are essentially religious. He found that in the state of peak experience, people feel more in harmony with the world, lose the sense of their "I" or go beyond it. They feel both stronger and more helpless than before and lose their sense of time and place. According to Maslow, peak experiences that really change a person occur when they are deserved: “A person came to insight after a year of difficult treatment by a psychoanalyst; or a philosopher who has been working on a problem for 15 years has finally seen a solution to it.” Maslow A. Self-actualization.// Psychology of personality. Texts. - M., 1982.

· Public interest.

Even when self-actualizing people are troubled, saddened, and even angered by the shortcomings of the human race, they nevertheless share a deep sense of closeness with it. Hence, they have a sincere desire to help their "mortal" brethren improve themselves. This desire is expressed by a feeling of compassion, sympathy and love for all mankind. Often this is a special kind of brotherly love, similar to the relationship of an older brother or sister to younger brothers and sisters.

· Deep interpersonal relationships.

Self-actualizing people seek deeper and more intimate personal relationships than "ordinary" people. Most often, those with whom they are connected are healthier and closer to self-actualization than the average person. That is, self-actualizing people tend to establish close relationships with those who have a similar character, talent and ability (“two boots of steam”), although due to their social interest they have a special sense of empathy for less healthy people. Usually, their circle of close friends is small, as self-actualizing friendships require a lot of time and effort. Self-actualizing people also have a special tenderness for children and easily communicate with them.

Democratic character.

Self-actualizing personalities, according to Maslow, are the most “democratic” people. They have no prejudice, and therefore they respect other people, regardless of what class, race, religion, gender they belong to, what their age, profession, and other indicators of status. Moreover, they readily learn from others without exhibiting superiority or authoritarian tendencies. A self-actualizing musician, for example, is full of reverence for a skilled mechanic, because he has knowledge and skills that a musician does not have.

Distinguish between means and ends.

In daily life, self-actualizing individuals are more definite, consistent and firm than ordinary people about what is right and what is wrong, good or bad. They adhere to certain moral and ethical standards, although very few of them are religious in the orthodox sense of the word. Maslow also noted in the surveyed self-actualizing personalities a heightened sense of distinguishing between goals and means to achieve them. At the same time, they often enjoyed the means proper (instrumental behavior leading to a goal) that less tolerant people did not like. They enjoyed doing things more for the sake of the process (such as exercise) rather than because it was a means to an end (such as good health).

· Philosophical sense of humor.

Another notable characteristic of self-actualizing people is their clear preference for philosophical, benevolent humor. If the average person can enjoy jokes that make fun of someone's inferiority, humiliate someone or obscene, then a healthy person is more attracted to humor that ridicules the stupidity of humanity as a whole. The humor of Abraham Lincoln is an example. His jokes were not just funny. They often had something of an allegory or a parable. Maslow noticed that philosophical humor usually causes a smile, not laughter. Because of this attitude towards humor, self-actualizing people often appear rather reserved and serious.

· Creativity.

Maslow discovered that all self-actualizing people, without exception, have the ability to be creative. However, the creative potential of his subjects showed itself differently from outstanding talents in poetry, art, music or science. Maslow spoke, rather, of the same natural and spontaneous creativity that is inherent in unspoiled children. It is creativity that is present in everyday life as a natural way of expressing an observant, perceiving new and invigoratingly simple personality.

· Resistance to cultivation.

And finally, self-actualizing people are in harmony with their culture, while maintaining a certain internal independence from it. They have autonomy and self-confidence, and therefore their thinking and behavior is not subject to social and cultural influence. This resistance to culturalization does not mean that self-actualizing people are unconventional or anti-social in all areas of human behavior. For example, as far as dress, speech, food, and manners are concerned, if they do not explicitly object, they are no different from others. Likewise, they don't waste energy fighting existing customs and regulations. However, they can be extremely independent and unconventional if some of their core values are affected. Therefore, those who do not take the trouble to understand and appreciate them sometimes consider self-actualizing people to be rebellious and eccentric. Self-actualizing people also don't demand immediate improvement from their environment. Knowing the imperfections of society, they accept the fact that social change may be slow and gradual, but easier to achieve by working within that system.

3. Development of the theory of self-actualization in the domesticscience

The theory of self-actualization is a key backbone element of the humanistic trend in psychology and pedagogy. Fundamental to the humanistic direction is the idea that a conscious desire to maximize the possible disclosure of one's human potential and its implementation in practical life for the benefit of society through self-actualization is a necessary factor in the full development of a person. An important contribution to the development of the theory of self-actualization belongs to domestic scientists. In the philosophical, methodological and cultural aspects, the theory of self-actualization is developed in the works of L.I. Antropova, L.G. Bryleva, I.A. Vitina, N.L. Kulik, K.Ch. Mukhametdzhanov.

I.A. Vitin (1999) considers the concept of "self-actualization" to be central in modern scientific humanitarian knowledge. In his opinion, the theory of self-actualization is one of the most successful attempts not only to pose, but also to solve (within certain limits) the problem of personality in the modern social situation. In Russia, the importance of developing this theory is growing due to the rejection of the understanding of the individual as part of a team and the search for more complex models of personality development, including ideas about its uniqueness, uniqueness, and uniqueness.

L.G. Bryleva (1998) examines the methodological problems of the self-realization paradigm in the humanistic movement of the second half of the 20th century from a cultural point of view. In her opinion, the self-realization of the individual is the optimal (best possible) and holistic way of its self-realization in the aggregate continuum Culture - Society. L.G. Bryleva suggests that in terms of culturological research, self-realization of a person is the process and result of “objectification”, “reification”, manifestation of Meanings in the Universe, their deployment and implementation, their transition-transfer from Non-Being to Being, which ensures the presence in the world of Good, Vitality, Negentropy. Self-actualization is the path of self-disclosure, leading to the existential depths to the Essence of a person, to his Intimate Core, where his Meeting with the Absolute takes place.

L.I. Antropova (1980), N.L. Kulik (1992) and K.Ch. Mukhametdzhanov (1992) considers in a philosophical aspect the self-realization of a person's personality as a source that encourages the search for the Meaning of Life and as a factor in spiritual growth. N.L. Kulik, tracing the philosophical roots of the problem of self-actualization in Russian culture, comes to the conclusion that in the philosophy of the New Age this problem was first posed by G. Skovoroda, who considered it possible to achieve truly human happiness only in labor according to one’s vocation, labor corresponding to the inner nature of a person. , his inclinations and talents. N.L. Kulik sees in self-realization the real process of transforming the activity characteristics of a person, his essential forces into a way of human existence, into the "world of man", into the objective world of human culture.

P.I. Pidkasisty, L.M. Fridman and M.G. Garunov (1999) write that the potential of a person can manifest itself and be realized only with the rational self-organization of educational activity, which is not directly related to the level of development of cognitive abilities. Effective self-organization of educational activity consists in the ability to rationally organize one's educational activity autonomously, without external systematic control, assistance and stimulation. This level of self-organization, based on the ability to self-regulate, was previously considered necessary for successful study at a university, but in recent years it has become necessary in high school, and a kind of “pedagogical inoculation” that stimulates this method of self-development and self-education is necessary already in adolescence. age. These authors see the essence of the process of self-actualization in the educational space in the transmission, transmission from educators to educators of ways, methods and ways through which a person can become what he can become.

In recent years, the number of practically oriented studies on the problems of spirituality, the meaning of human life and the peaks of his professional activity, acme, as the goal of the process of self-actualization, has been growing. The ideas of the theory of self-actualization today are widely developed and applied in humanistic and existential psychotherapy, acmeology, pedagogy, logopsychotherapy (A.A. Bodalev, B.S. Bratus, D. Bugental, N.L. Karpova, A.N. Leontiev, D. A. Leontiev, A. Maslow, Y. B. Nekrasova, V. A. Petrovsky, K. Rogers, V. Frankl, V. E. Chudnovsky and others).

Conclusion

The above may lead to the conclusion that self-actualizing people are a select group of "superstars" approaching perfection in the art of living and standing at a height unattainable for the rest of humanity. Maslow unequivocally refuted such conclusions. Being imperfect in their human nature, self-actualizing people are also subject to stupid, unconstructive and useless habits, just like we mortals. They can be stubborn, irritable, boring, quarrelsome, selfish, or depressed, and under no circumstances are they immune to unwarranted vanity, excessive pride, and predilection for their friends, family, and children. Temperamental outbursts are not so unusual for them. Maslow also found that his subjects were able to display a certain "surgical coldness" in interpersonal conflicts. For example, one woman, realizing that she no longer loved her husband, divorced him with determination bordering on ruthlessness. Others recovered from the deaths of those close to them so easily that they seemed heartless. Further, self-actualizing people are not free from guilt, anxiety, sadness, and self-doubt. Due to excessive concentration, they often cannot stand empty gossip and light conversation. In fact, they may speak or act in ways that overwhelm, shock, or offend others. Finally, their kindness to others can make them vulnerable to associations that are useless to them (say, they are in danger of getting bogged down in association with annoying or unhappy people). Despite all these imperfections, self-actualizing people are great examples of mental health. At the very least, they remind us that the potential for human psychological growth is far greater than what we have achieved.

Bibliography

1. Abulkhanova K.A. Psychology and Consciousness of Personality (Problems of Methodology, Theory and Research of Real Personality): Selected Psychological Works. - M.: Moscow Psychological and Social Institute; Voronezh: NPO "MODEK" Publishing House, 1999. - 224 p.

2. Bodrov V.A. Psychology of professional activity. M. - 2001.

3. Vakhromov E.E. The concepts of "self-actualization" and "self-realization" in psychology // Personality potential: an integrated approach: Materials of the All-Russian Internet Conference / Ed. ed. E.A. Uvarov. - Tambov: Publishing House of TSU im. G.R. Derzhavin, 2002 - p. 129-133.

4. Vakhromov E.E. Self-actualization and the life path of a person // Modern problems of the meaning of life and acme: Materials of the VI-VII PIRAO syposia / Ed. A.A. Bodaleva, V.E. Chudnovsky, N.L. Karpova, G.A. Weiser. - Samara: Publishing house "NTC", 2002. - p.147-164.

5. Kalina N.F. Questionnaire of self-actualization of personality. - M.: Journal of practical psychologist, 2003, No. 1. - P.65-75.

6. Lisovskaya E.B. Self-actualizing personality. // Scientific and technical revolution and social psychology / Materials of the intercity conference. M.: Nauka, 1981. S. 76-84.

7. Maslow A. Self-actualization.// Psychology of personality. Texts. - M., 1982. Practical psychology: Textbook / Authors: M.K. Tutushkina and others - SPb.1998.

What is a self-actualized person?

One who achieves the full use of his talent, his abilities and his potential.

Well, well, if a person does not know his abilities, then at some point, anyway, there is a desire to know them. Find out who I am and why I am. For some, this desire is strong, for some it is weak, and for some, it does not even think about it. And if this desire - to know oneself and find one's abilities - has appeared, such a person begins to know himself.

Abraham Maslow: “Musicians must play music, artists must paint, poets must write poetry if they are to be at peace with themselves after all. People should be who they can be. They must be true to their nature."

When a person embarks on this path of self-knowledge, he immediately encounters two main obstacles: the need for security and the need for respect. It is these needs that keep us from moving forward. A person can talk very long and cleverly about "growth", but he will still remain in that and with what he knew and was used to.

The first thing to do when a person embarks on the path of self-actualization is to find a sense of security within himself. “I have myself, and I will never betray or abandon myself.” And it should not be just words, it should become an internal state!

"Everyone abandoned me!"

"Where are you? Have you abandoned yourself too?"

As long as the need for security is strong in a person, he is not able to build something new.

Safety is to keep all the weeds and try to grow a rose among them. And if you close your eyes to the weeds, do not weed them, then sooner or later they will suffocate this rose. Only the appearance of moving forward will remain - the field is very often strewn with weeds with dried sprouts of something new. Therefore, the courage to admit one's "weeds" is a mandatory component of self-actualization.

The second is to stop demanding respect from others, to understand and recognize that in your essence you are already perfect. And actions - we do nothing to harm ourselves. If we commit some seemingly unseemly act, then we do it only because it brings us (our personality) satisfaction, otherwise we would not have done it. This is another interesting topic and we will talk about it in detail another time.

The process of knowing oneself is always a willingness to take risks, make mistakes, give up old habits. But this is not a struggle with old habits and restrictions. This is a search for what prevents you from moving forward and the courage to do things differently.

It is only through courage that one can open up to new ideas, new experiences, which can lead to the top, and maybe to failure. But the realization that each lesson is for the good will lead along the path of growth. And this is already a personal path, not imposed by the environment - what is right and what is not right.

Moreover, the process of coming to oneself is slow and painful. This is a constant flow, not a fixed achievement. That is why so many people refuse it. It's always nice to achieve something and sit on your laurels without doing anything else.

But no one can force a person to embark on the path of self-actualization. It is only a conscious choice to become who you can be.

The next step is focus and concentration. Access to an effective perception of reality. And effective perception of reality is the ability to perceive the world impartially, to constantly be aware of what is really happening inside and around a person. Determine at what point a person is, how he himself creates what surrounds him.

Learn to see the surrounding reality as it is, with all its pluses and minuses, and not as you would like to see it. The most interesting thing is that such a vision gives the ability to distinguish between falsehood and dishonesty. Hopes, expectations, anxieties and fears will no longer affect the perception of reality.

Next is the study of one's inner nature and action in accordance with it. Learn to decide for yourself - what we like best. Not what is right and what is not right, but what you like and what you don't like, where you get real pleasure. What films do you like more, what thoughts, ideas, regardless of the opinions of others.

All this leads to the fact that a person does not lose a sense of the joy of life. He easily accepts other people and humanity as a whole, without trying to control, teach, remake others, "adjust" for himself. A person becomes free and provides others with freedom of choice and freedom of expression. Excessive feelings of guilt, shame, anxiety cease to burden, supercriticality to one's shortcomings and weaknesses disappears.

The next step is to learn to be honest with yourself. Take responsibility for your actions, deeds and thoughts. And the main thing here is to stop looking for excuses and shift the blame on others for your actions, your thoughts, stop striving to be good for everyone. You cannot please everyone in this world, because the task is not to become even more convenient for others, but to find yourself.

The next thing is to learn to act in accordance with your judgments, to sensibly assess your needs, to figure out which ones are inherent in you and which ones are induced by society, parents, and the environment. All this contributes to the most accurate decision - what is necessary and what is right specifically for a given person.

Thanks to this, interaction with others is already being built without the desire to produce an effect and impress with something. "Show-off" goes away and naturalness, simplicity and spontaneity appear. And this already leads to the ability to easily adapt to the surrounding reality, there is such a quality as tolerance. But with all this, if there is a need to be irreconcilable and, despite the threat of condemnation or rejection, one's opinion is expressed without hesitation.

The next step is to understand your potential. Find what brings you the most satisfaction, what you feel your talent in and develop it to perfection. Perhaps you are a good cook, and by developing your talent, you could become a chef whose skill is admirable.

Maybe you are great at organizing holidays, creating unique author's things ... Find what you do best and do everything in your power to become a high-class specialist, as far as your abilities allow.

But, without using his talent, a person will do tedious and boring work, just because it pays well or it gives a state of security. The result is an unsatisfied state of consciousness.

Maslow argued that the self-actualizing people he studied were not perfect and were not even free from major flaws, but they were all, without exception, committed to some task, duty, vocation. They were not self-centered, but focused on issues above their immediate needs. It can be said about them that they live to work, and do not work to live.

The next step is to understand dependent and codependent relationships.

The main need of socially “normal” people is to use other people to emphasize their importance and fill loneliness.

All steps towards self-actualization lead to the unique ability to be alone, without feeling lonely, to the ability to enjoy the richness and fullness of friendship.

There is an ability to remain calm and equanimity even in the face of personal misfortunes and failures. All this thanks to one's own view of the situation without the need to rely on the opinions and feelings of others. Honors, status, prestige and popularity become less important than self-development and internal growth.

The next step is to learn to enjoy. Enjoy music, the beauty of nature, masterpieces of art in such a way that they bring inspiration. Catch these amazing states. Develop a sense of nature, music. Notice experiences of ecstasy, insight, moments of greatest enthusiasm and excitement.

Thanks to this, the ability to see and enjoy even the most insignificant events in life appears, the childish ability to surprise returns. Happiness is no longer taken for granted, life ceases to be boring and uninteresting.

A person becomes able to feel and experience peace, bliss, harmony, tranquility, love, merging with nature without artificial stimulants. At moments of peak experience, there is a feeling of harmony with the world, the feeling of one's "I" is lost, or one goes beyond its limits.

The next step is to distinguish between ends and means. Learn to enjoy the process and do just for the sake of it. For example, do not set as a goal - to do physical exercise for the sake of health, but to enjoy the exercise itself.

And one of the most difficult is going beyond the limits of your personal "I".

This is achieved by observing your defense mechanisms, recognizing their existence and recognizing how they operate. Defense mechanisms are the main constraints and obstacles to internal growth. These are buttons, thanks to which a person becomes completely controlled and not free.

But this is work, long and painstaking work, and not everyone will decide on it. Only the inner realization that you came to this earth for a reason, that you have talents, you have your own path, and a keen desire to find it can inspire you to such work.

The result is the release of energy for one's own realization.

But it cannot be said that self-actualizing people are angels in the flesh, that they are perfect.

They, like everyone else, are prone to unconstructive and useless habits. At the same time, they can be stubborn, irritable, boring, absurd, selfish and depressed. Feelings of guilt, anxiety, sadness, self-doubt may also be present in them.

But at the same time, they are free in their manifestations: capable of creativity, autonomous and self-confident, free from social and cultural influences, honest with themselves, able to give up their illusions and fully use their abilities.

The difference between striving for perfection and self-actualization is the choice to "be" rather than "appear". The reward is life satisfaction.

And once again briefly:

Find a sense of security within yourself.

Recognize your perfection.

Develop courage and willingness to take risks.

Come to an objective perception of reality.

Be honest with yourself.

Examine your inner nature and act in accordance with it.

Find your potential opportunities, talents and develop them.

Find inner independence.

Learn to enjoy.

Learn to distinguish between goals and means to achieve them.

Learn your defense mechanisms and go beyond them.

You have been introduced to the action plan for self-actualization. Does the question arise - how to implement it? Complicated? Interesting? Is it better to live in illusions?

We are all free in our choice.

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Theme "Self-actualization of personality"

Introduction
Conclusion
Bibliography
Introduction
The problem of self-actualization of the personality has a not very long, but rather bright history in psychology. This problem began to be developed only in the postwar period, but by the end of the 60s. it has "become an integral part of the intellectual landscape of the West". The theories of self-actualization by A. Maslow and C. Rogers have long crossed the boundaries of psychological science and have a considerable influence on the minds of hundreds of thousands and millions of people Leontiev D.A. Development of the idea of self-actualization in the works of A. Maslow. // Questions of psychology. - 1985. - No. 3. - S. 150. .
The theory of self-actualization is a key backbone element of the humanistic trend in psychology and pedagogy. Fundamental to the humanistic direction is the idea that a conscious desire to maximize the possible disclosure of one's human potential and its implementation in practical life for the benefit of society through self-actualization is a necessary factor in the full development of a person.
Abraham Maslow, the founder and leader of the humanistic trend in post-war Western (primarily American) psychology, is rightfully considered not only one of the largest, but also one of the most interesting figures in the psychology of the 20th century. Developing the idea of self-actualization for three decades, Maslow made it the cornerstone of not only the theory of personality, but, perhaps, the whole philosophical and worldview system, which was the reason for the hundreds of thousands of copies of his books. Carl Rogers is considered to be the author of another theory of self-actualization in modern literature, however, unlike Maslow, the idea of self-actualization is not the cornerstone of his constructions: K. Rogers considers questions of motivation (including self-actualization) in the context of a general theory of personality, while Maslow, on the contrary, considers personality in the context of the theory of motivation, that is, self-actualization.
In his works, Maslow touched on a lot of pressing life problems that interest every person: creativity, love, moral values, personality education, improvement of society, etc. The range of his interests was wide, and his views on each of these problems deserve a separate analysis, in in which criticism should be combined with highlighting the positive contribution that Maslow made to the development of each of these problems.
M.B. Smith identified three main contexts in which Maslow developed the idea of self-actualization: 1) self-actualizing personalities; 2) ultimate experiences (peak-experiences) of transcendental values, 3) self-actualization as a process of development Ibid. .
As part of the course work, we consider it necessary to highlight the following three aspects on the problem of self-actualization of the individual: a) the essence of self-actualization and concepts close to it; b) the content of A. Maslow's theory of motivation; c) ways of self-actualization of a person.
All of the above indicates the relevance of the topic of the course work.
The purpose of this course work is to meaningfully reveal the concept of self-actualization. Achieving this goal involves the achievement of the following tasks:
1. to conduct a theoretical review and analysis of educational literature sources on the research problem;
2. reveal the essence of self-actualization and similar concepts;
3. reveal the content of A. Maslow's theory of motivation;
4. to give ways of self-actualization of a person.
The object of research is personality.
The subject is the process of self-actualization.

Chapter 1 The concept of self-actualization

Human life is not a random chain of events, but rather a fast-paced and tense drama that develops according to a certain plot. The plot is that something within us strives for self-realization and is constantly fighting with the outside world for its existence.

J. Ortega y Gasset

The concept of self-actualization originates in the theory of self-actualization, which, in turn, comes from humanistic psychology. Let's briefly consider its main characteristics.

The theory of self-actualization was developed in the USA in the middle of the 20th century and became a key component for "humanistic" psychology, which declared itself the "third branch" of psychology, as opposed to behaviorism and psychoanalysis.

It is called humanistic, because it recognizes the personality as the main subject as an integral unique system, which is not something given in advance, but an open possibility of self-actualization. It is based on the belief in the possibility of the flourishing of each person, if he is given the opportunity to choose his own destiny and direct it.

The emergence and formulation of its basic principles is associated with the name of the American psychologist A. Maslow. In the center of her attention is the concept of the formation of a personality, the idea of the need for maximum creative self-realization, which means true mental health.

Having declared itself in 1950, in 1961 the association of humanistic psychology founded the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, the editorial board of which included K. Goldstein, S. Buhler, O. Huxley, D. Bugenthal, A. Maslow, K. Rogers. In 1963, the president of the Association for Humanistic Psychology, D. Bugenthal, formulated five basic postulates of humanistic psychology:

1. Man as an integral being surpasses the sum of his constituents (in other words, man cannot be explained as a result of the scientific study of his partial functions);

2. Human existence unfolds in the context of human relations (in other words, a person cannot be explained by his partial functions, in which interpersonal experience is not taken into account);

3. A person is conscious of himself (and cannot be understood by psychology that does not take into account his continuous, multi-level self-awareness);

4. A person has a choice (a person is not a passive observer of the process of his existence: he creates his own experience);

5. A person is intentional (a person is turned to the future, there is a goal, values and meaning in his life) Vakhromov E.E. Psychological concepts of human development: the theory of self-actualization. - M.: International Pedagogical Academy, 2001. - S. 47. .

According to the analysis carried out by A. Maslow, self-actualization is defined in different ways, but in the main, all scientists clearly agree with each other. All definitions say:

about reconciliation with the inner Self as the "core" of the personality and its manifestation, that is, about "ideal functioning", the development by the individual of all his individual and general characteristics;

about minimization of diseases, neuroses, psychoses, lowering the fundamental individual and general human abilities A. Maslow. Motivation and personality. Translation by A.M. Tatlybaeva. - St. Petersburg: Eurasia, 1999. - S. 136. .

In the context of the definition of self-actualization, A. Maslow formulates the features of healthy mental development: “Healthy development is conceptually subordinate, because it is usually defined as “development in the direction of self-actualization,” etc. Some psychologists simply talk about one higher goal or trend of human development, considering all the phenomena of the development of an immature being only steps on the ladder leading to self-actualization (Goldstein, Rogers) ”A. Maslow. Motivation and personality. Translation by A.M. Tatlybaeva. - St. Petersburg: Eurasia, 1999. - S. 137. .

The tendency towards self-actualization, according to K. Rogers, is a manifestation of a deep tendency towards actualization: “This is confirmed by the universality of the manifestation of this tendency in the universe, at all levels, and not only in living systems ... We are connecting to a trend that permeates all actual life and reveals all the complexity that the organism is capable of. On an even broader level, I believe we are dealing with a powerful creative trend that has shaped our universe: from the smallest snowflake to the largest galaxy, from the smallest amoeba to the most subtle and gifted individual. Perhaps we are touching the tip of our ability to transform ourselves, to create new, more spiritual directions in human evolution ... It is this formulation that is the philosophical basis of the person-centered approach. It justifies my participation in a life-affirming way of being” Rogers K. A look at psychotherapy. The formation of man - M .: Progress, 1998. - p.21. .

Vakhromov E.E., trying to define the concept of "Self-actualization", will share the point of view of A. Maslow, arguing that you first need to understand who self-actualizing people are.

AT "Far reaches of the human psyche" Maslow formulated the characteristics in which self-actualization is manifested:

1) complete acceptance of reality and a comfortable attitude towards it (not to hide from life, but to know, understand it);

2) acceptance of others and yourself (“I do mine, and you do yours. I am not in this world to meet your expectations. And you are not in this world to meet my expectations. I am me, you are you, I respect and accept you for who you are”);

3) professional enthusiasm for what you love, orientation to the task, to the cause;

4) autonomy, independence from the social environment, independence of judgments;

5) the ability to understand other people, attention, goodwill towards people;

6) constant novelty, freshness of assessments, openness to experience;

7) distinction between ends and means, evil and good ("Not every means is good for achieving the goal");

8) spontaneity, natural behavior;

9) philosophical humor;

10) self-development, manifestation of abilities, potentialities, self-actualizing creativity in work, love, life;

11) readiness to solve new problems, to realize problems and difficulties, to realize one's experience, to truly understand one's capabilities, to increase congruence.

Congruence is the correspondence of experience, awareness of experience to its present content. Overcoming defense mechanisms helps to achieve congruent, true experiences. Defense mechanisms make it difficult to correctly recognize their problems. Personal development is an increase in congruence, an increase in understanding of one's "real self", one's capabilities, characteristics, it is self-actualization as a tendency to understand one's "real self".

To the main question of his theory - what is self-actualization? - A. Maslow answers as follows: “Self-actualizing people, without exception, are all included in some business ... They are devoted to this business, it is something very valuable for them - this is a kind of vocation” Maslow A. Self-actualization // Personality Psychology: Texts. - M., 1982 - S. 110.

In the book Motivation and Personality, Maslow defines self-actualization as a person's desire for self-embodiment, for the actualization of the potentialities inherent in him, manifested in the desire for identity: “This term expresses the “full development of man” (based on biological nature), which is (empirically) normative for the whole species, regardless of time and place, that is, to a lesser extent culturally determined. It corresponds to the biological predetermination of a person, and not to historically arbitrary, local value models ... It also has an empirical content and practical meaning.”

In The Psychology of Being, he writes: “Already in the very concept of “self-actualization” lies the assertion that there is a certain “self” subject to actualization.” Development (full development) is the unfolding of the inclinations laid down in the self. This process has an empirical content (it can be detected, described, calculated) and has a practical meaning Vakhromov E.E. Psychological concepts of human development: the theory of self-actualization. - M.: International Pedagogical Academy, 2001. - S. 50. .

Vakhromov E.E. conducted an etymological analysis of the word "smoactualization". The self-actualization is a term derived from the first root "self" and the second root "act". 1) the self - person "s nature, special qualities; one" s own personality: my former self, myself as I used to be, - essential personal properties and qualities;

2) act - to do something; action process of doing things; - an act, a feat, an activity that has a material result; comes from the Latin root "actus" - which means an act, activity. Derivatives are: actuate - put into action, motivate; actualization - to put into practice the plan.

In the preface to The Psychology of Being, Maslow writes: “It seems that the word “self” confuses people, and all my definitions and empirical descriptions often turn out to be powerless against the linguistic habit of linking “self” purely with “independence” and autonomy, otherwise and with selfishness.

He does not give a strict definition of "self". In the work “Psychology of development and self-actualization: basic assumptions”, the understanding of “self” is outlined as follows:

1. Each of us has a certain inner nature, which is instinctive, primordial, given, "natural", that is, sequentially determined.

2. The prerequisites for "individual selfhood" are formed "very early." It's more of a raw material than a finished product." “In this essential nature, I include the instinctoid basic needs, abilities, talents, anatomy, physiological or temperamental balance, prenatal and natal injuries received by the newborn. This core manifests itself in the form of natural inclinations, addictions or inner beliefs ... This raw material very quickly begins to turn into "I" when it encounters the outside world and begins to interact with it.

3. All of these are potentialities, not actual final states. They must be observed in development. They are formed or suppressed by extrapsychic factors. This core is rather weak than strong. It is easily suppressed or driven inside. The repressed self acts unconsciously.

4. The self contains both the general and the individual.

5. Self is revealed through self-observation and psychotherapy.

6. Unused elements of the self act unconsciously. The "repressed" remains an effective determinant of thought and behavior.

In the history of psychology, the priority of using the concept of The Self belongs to W. James, who considered the self to be “that constancy of personality that each of us discovers every time we wake up.” He distinguishes three "levels" of the self:

1) Material is what we identify with ourselves, including not only the body, but also the house, family, friends.

2) Social - "this is the recognition that he receives from others."

3) Spiritual selfhood is the internally subjective being of a person.

K. Jung considered "self" as an archetype. An archetype is a primary image, a complex that exists in the collective unconscious, with which the human psyche is connected from birth. In Jung's theory, the self is the central, deepest archetype, which primarily encourages a person to develop and grow.

In Russian philosophy and psychology, the concept of "self" was used by philosophers S. Frank, A. Losev, P. Florensky, psychologists D.A. Leontiev, I.S. Konom.

Vakhromov E.E. in his book, he analyzed the relationship between the concepts of self-actualization and self-realization. Realization, in the interpretation of the dictionary of modern English, is, first of all, awareness, mental (cognitive) activity. Actualization (actualization) - has the meaning of activity as a process, a waste of energy (from the Latin root actus - an act), which has a material result.

The concept of "self-realization" thus means the mental, cognitive aspect of activity, theoretical activity, work on the inner plane. Self-realization is manifested in the construction and adjustment, restructuring of the “I concept”, including the “ideal I”, pictures of the world and life plan, awareness of the results of previous activities (formation of the concept of the past).

The concept of "self-actualization" means the practical aspect of activity: actions and actions aimed at fulfilling the life plan. Its features lie in the fact that, firstly, each of its acts (a finite number of actions) must end with some specific, describable result (self-change, the acquisition of one or another competence). The second feature of this activity is that the object to which the activity is directed and the subject of this activity coincide (the action is directed at itself, at self-transformation). The third feature is that the formula "I did it myself" places in the center of attention what the subject, as a source of activity, can do himself, without support and help from others; other subjects are not involved in the result (the thing).

Self-actualization and self-realization thus turn out to be two inseparable sides of one process, the process of development and growth, the result of which is a person who has maximally revealed and uses his human potential, a self-actualized personality Vakhromov E.E. Psychological concepts of human development: the theory of self-actualization. - M.: International Pedagogical Academy, 2001. - S. 54. .

Separate practical acts of a person striving for self-actualization make it necessary for him to comprehend the results obtained and their consequences. Theoretical analysis, awareness, which is an act of self-realization, leads to an adjustment of ideas about oneself, ideas about the world and a change in the “life plan”, which K. Rogers describes in terms of congruence. Starting from some time, the self, which in the plane of self-realization can be considered as a system of a person’s ideas about himself, can act as a real “organizer” of a person’s activity, the result of which is a change not only mental, but also physical, which can serve as the basis for ideas and concepts of "self-determination", "self-determination". A young person striving to become a musician (the concept of the ideal self), for example, through many hours of systematic training, using his "bodily" and volitional resources, contributes to the formation of certain intercellular connections and intracellular changes, neurophysiological, functional systems that underlie ideas about skills, abilities and abilities, the study of which is available in the plane of "positive" biomedical sciences and ideas. This example shows the active influence of theoretical concepts on the physical development of a person, the manifestation of "self-construction" Rogers K. A look at psychotherapy. The formation of man. - M.: Progress, 1998. - S. 45. .

The process of self-actualization must be considered not from the position of an “abstract observer”, not from the position of abstract “highest achievements” and their theoretical criteria, medical and statistical ideas about the norm and anomaly, this process is understandable only from the position of a here-and-now present person who is aware of "challenge" of reality. Self-actualization can and should be considered and described "from within" a person's life, from his point of view, as a definite, conscious choice of a goal. And it is seen from this point as a certain sequence of episodes, situations, in each of which the “I” encounter certain problems, accept the challenge, and, as the problems are solved, I improve, develop, consciously choose for myself even more difficult (but corresponding to the current selfishness, realistic) problems, or I degrade by not accepting challenges, refusing to solve problems or choosing those that do not correspond to my “selfhood”. In this case, not finding a solution in a timely manner, the “I” also inevitably comes as a result of a collision with more difficult problems, but of a different, “neurotic” quality, the solution of which will be forced, will narrow the possibilities of my self-determination, will require psychological or medical help.

Maslow emphasizes that the choice in favor of growth, in the direction of self-actualization, must be made by a person in every situation of choice. Any abandonment of efforts to fully realize the potential is fraught with the emergence of pathology or even metapathology. It is assumed that the refusal of development leads a person to nervous, mental disorders, fraught with involution, "coagulation" of individual abilities. The growth of involutionary tendencies, the involvement of certain regions and countries in the processes of involution is fraught with the threat of degradation for civilization as a whole.

In The Psychology of Being, Maslow emphasizes the need for an understanding in which the self-actualizing person is not seen as a bronze statue in a central square or an inhabitant of a “pantheon” that only very few people can enter, and not before the age of sixty: “We can define self-actualization as an episode , or “breakthrough”, in which all the forces of the personality are extremely effectively fused together, delivering intense pleasure, when a person finds unity, overcoming fragmentation, is more open to sensations, is distinguished by originality, expression and spontaneity, functions more fully, has greater creativity and greater feeling humor, able to rise above the ego, more independent of his lower needs, etc. During these “breakthroughs”, a person becomes more himself, better realizes his potentialities and approaches the very heart of his Being, becomes a more complete person” A. Maslow. Psychology of being. - S. 77. .

The “peak experience”, which testifies to self-actualization and completes each of its episodes, is, first of all, an emotional manifestation of self-esteem, moreover, informal, true, not allowing self-deception to happen, not allowing oneself to be deceived even by authoritative external sources or manipulators. This is an assessment of the truth and correctness of one’s decision and action in a given situation, one’s solution to a problem, the consequences of this event for one’s future life. To Rogers, in the work “Some important discoveries”, the first of them notes: “I can trust my experiences ... If the experience is perceived as something valuable, then it is worthy to exist. In other words, I realized that my whole organismic sense of the situation is more worthy than my intellect.

In The Far Reach of the Human Mind, Maslow writes that "peak experiences are the criterion by which one can judge progress in the right direction, and they are also the reward of a self-actualizing personality." The intensity, depth and duration of these experiences play an important role. Maslow writes: “In my opinion, healthy, self-actualized people who have not reached the limits of higher experience, living at the level of worldly comprehension of the world, have not yet gone all the way to true humanity. They are practical and efficient, they live in the real world and successfully interact with it. But fully self-actualized people who are familiar with higher experiences live not only in the real world, but also in a higher reality, in the reality of Being, in the symbolic world of poetry, aesthetics, transcendence, in the world of religion and its mystical, very personal, non-canonized meaning. , in the reality of higher experiences.

We can talk about self-actualization at every age stage of human development. The act of self-actualization can be seen, for example, in the child's mastery of certain skills (say, cycling), in the mastery of the technique of playing the guitar by a teenager, in the mastery of a certain amount of knowledge by a schoolboy, sufficient for successful admission to a university. In each case, we are talking about the fact that more and more prolonged efforts of a person at some point lead to the realization: I can! I know! Quantitative changes accumulated by hard work for a long time bring a new quality that immediately manifests itself, characterizing itself in the practice of life as a certain social or personal competence. This kind of awareness brings both peak experiences and a positive assessment by adults, parents, and examiners. When the process of life is unfolding, it becomes not so important whether this achievement is the highest, what is important is real attainability. In practice, such an understanding of self-actualization allows not only older people not to try “at any cost” to defend the “high” positions won at the previous stage of life, but in case of dissatisfaction or a feeling of satiety, to master new areas of application of their forces, including new professions. Recently, special training programs for new professions have appeared and are rapidly developing for people who, due to certain circumstances (illness, age), have lost the opportunity to continue their usual professional activities.

It is also possible to talk about self-actualization in the case when the social significance of the activity and its results is not directly visible: a woman, for example, can devote herself mainly to raising children and grandchildren, which can bring her peak experiences and the love of her neighbors as the highest rating.

Speaking about the life path of a person, it is necessary to discuss the problem of the limit. Is the achievement of self-actualization the end point of a person's "life journey"? What else can a person who has achieved success, who has received full recognition in society, and in the family, and in the opinion of experts, strive for?

Maslow answers this question as follows: “The goal of a person (self-actualization, autonomy, individuation, “true Self”, as defined by K. Horney, authenticity, etc.) seems to be both the final and intermediate goal, initiation, a step up ladder to the transcendence of identity. We can say that its function is to self-destruct." That is, a person should not consider any specific achievement as a “final point”, moreover, one should not focus on a special search for peak experiences, any achievement should encourage new achievements. In his last major work, "Far Limits of the Human Psyche", he came to the conclusion that the theory of self-actualization can become the basis of the broadest program for the reconstruction of man and the world. This is the conceptual basis of the meta-theory of self-actualization, the least studied and clearly underestimated Vakhromov E.E. Psychological concepts of human development: the theory of self-actualization. - M.: International Pedagogical Academy, 2001. - S. 64. .

In The Far Reach of the Human Psyche, Maslow considers self-actualization in the context of the relationship of a person with society and psychotherapeutic practice. Resolutely emphasizing the rejection of the pursuit of peak and higher experiences, he suggests that psychotherapists focus on painstaking work "here and now", where the smallest achievement is also important, the goal is liberation from pathology, and by no means the achievement of Nirvana.

In "The Far Limits of the Human Psyche" Maslow gives the last, generalizing definition of self-actualization Maslow A. The Far Limits of the Human Psyche. - St. Petersburg: Eurasia, 1997. - S. 112. :

1. - this is an experience, all-consuming, bright, selfless;

2. is a process, it is a choice in every situation in favor of growth;

3. - implies that there is a certain "self" subject to "actualization";

4. - this is honesty and taking responsibility for your choice;

5. - this is honesty and freedom in expressing one's rights, non-conformism;

6. - this is not only the final station, but also the journey itself and the driving force of the journey;

7. - this is not the pursuit of higher experiences. They will overtake you if you deserve it;

8. - having traveled the path, you will recognize yourself and your essence. Pathology will also be exposed. You will understand your defense mechanisms and will be able to muster the courage to abandon them.

Self-actualization is not a moment when supreme bliss dawns on us, but an intense process of gradual growth, painstaking work of small achievements.

Chapter 2 Maslow's Theory of Motivation

A. Maslow's theory of motivation is widely represented in all textbooks on the history of psychology and general psychology, so we note only those ideas that underlie the famous "pyramid".

According to A. Maslow, upbringing and social norms more or less effectively force people to forget their own feelings or needs and accept the values imposed by others. Therefore, people's ability to satisfy basic needs is very often limited, which prevents the emergence and satisfaction of higher-level needs. Human needs are "given" and hierarchically organized.

Maslow justifies the hierarchical structure of needs as follows: “Specific needs, which are usually called physiological urges, are usually taken as the starting point when creating a motivational theory. If, when studying human motivation, we limit ourselves to extreme manifestations of the embodiment of physiological urges, then we risk ignoring the highest human motives, which will inevitably give rise to a one-sided idea of human capabilities and his nature. Blind is the researcher who, speaking about human goals and desires, bases his arguments only on observations of human behavior under conditions of extreme physiological deprivation and considers this behavior as typical. To paraphrase the saying already mentioned, we can say that a person really lives on bread alone, but only when he does not have this bread. But what happens to his desires when he has plenty of bread, when he is full, when his stomach does not require food? And this is what happens - a person immediately reveals other (higher) needs, and already these needs take possession of his consciousness, taking the place of physical hunger. As soon as he satisfies these needs, their place is immediately occupied by new (even higher) needs, and so on ad infinitum. This is what I mean when I say that human needs are organized hierarchically” A. Maslow. Motivation and personality. Translation by A.M. Tatlybaeva. - St. Petersburg: Eurasia, 1999. - S. 56. .

In the hierarchy (from bottom to top) levels are distinguished:

Consider the characteristics of these needs in the interpretation of A. Maslow.

Physiological Needs- these are natural needs necessary for human existence (food, warmth, clothing, etc.).

The need for security. After the satisfaction of physiological needs, their place in the motivational life of the individual is occupied by the needs of another level, which in the most general form can be combined into the category of security (the need for security; for stability; for dependence; for protection; for freedom from fear, anxiety and chaos; the need for structure, order, law, restrictions; other needs). The need for security rarely acts as an active force; it dominates only in critical, extreme situations, prompting the body to mobilize all its forces to fight the threat. Critical or extreme situations we call wars, illnesses, natural disasters, outbreaks of crime, social crises, neurosis, brain damage, as well as situations characterized by chronically unfavorable, threatening conditions.

The need for belonging and love. After the needs of the physiological level and the needs of the security level are sufficiently satisfied, the need for love, affection, belonging is actualized, and the motivational spiral begins a new round. A person, as never before, acutely begins to feel the lack of friends, the absence of a loved one, a wife or children. He longs for warm, friendly relations, he needs a social group that would provide him with such relationships, a family that would accept him as his own. It is this goal that becomes the most significant and most important for a person, he may no longer remember that once, when he was in need and was constantly hungry, the very concept of "love" did not cause him anything but a contemptuous grin. Now he is tormented by a feeling of loneliness, painfully experiencing his rejection, looking for his roots, soul mate, friend.

Need for recognition. Each person (with rare exceptions associated with pathology) constantly needs recognition, a stable and, as a rule, high assessment of his own merits, each of us needs respect for the people around us, and the opportunity to respect ourselves. The needs of this level are divided into two classes. The first includes desires and aspirations associated with the concept of "achievement". A person needs a sense of his own power, adequacy, competence, he needs a sense of confidence, independence and freedom. In the second class of needs, we include the need for reputation or prestige (we define these concepts as respect for others), the need to gain status, attention, recognition, fame.

The need for self-actualization. Even if all the above needs of a person are satisfied, we have the right to expect that he will soon again feel dissatisfaction, dissatisfaction because he is doing something completely different from what he is predisposed to. It is clear that a musician must make music, an artist must paint pictures, and a poet must compose poetry, if, of course, they want to live in peace with themselves. Man must be who he is maybe be. Man feels that he must conform to his own nature. This need can be called the need for self-actualization. The term "self-actualization", coined by Kurt Goldstein, is used in this book in a somewhat narrower, more specific sense. Speaking of self-actualization, I mean a person's desire for self-fulfillment, for the embodiment of the potential inherent in him in reality. This desire can be called the desire for self-identity, originality.

Obviously, different people express this need in different ways. One person wants to become an ideal parent, another strives to achieve sports heights, the third tries to create or invent. It seems that at this level of motivation it is almost impossible to delineate the limits of individual differences.

As a rule, a person begins to feel the need for self-actualization only after he has satisfied the needs of A. Maslow's lower levels. Motivation and personality. Translation by A.M. Tatlybaeva. - St. Petersburg: Eurasia, 1999. S. - 64. .

Thus, it is possible to formulate the general principle proposed in the theory of personality motivation: lower needs must be satisfied to some extent before one can proceed to the realization of higher ones. Without this, you may not be aware of the existence of higher-level needs. In general, the higher a person can climb the ladder of needs, the more health and humanity he will manifest, and the more individual he will be. At the top of the pyramid are the needs associated with self-actualization. Few reach this level - less than 1%. Most are simply blind to their potential and don't know it exists. The environment contributes to this: society tends to level the individual. The same applies to the family: children who grow up in an environment of friendliness, with a satisfied need for security, are more likely to self-actualize. In general, if a person does not reach the level of self-actualization, this means that some of the lower needs are “blocked”.

Chapter 3 Ways of self-actualization of personality

Different ways of self-actualization can be provided if a person has higher meta-needs for development, life goals: truth, beauty, kindness, justice.

Self-actualizing people, without exception, are involved in some business, in something outside of themselves. They are devoted to this cause, it is something very valuable for them - it is a kind of calling, in the old, preaching sense of the word. They are engaged in something that is a calling of fate for them and that they love so much that the division "work - joy" disappears for them. One dedicates his life to the law, the other to justice, someone else to beauty or truth. All of them, in one way or another, devote their lives to the search for "existential" values (B-values), i.e., the search for certain values that are genuine and cannot be reduced to something higher. There are about fourteen such B-values: truth, beauty, goodness, perfection, simplicity, comprehensiveness, etc.

The existence of these B-values greatly complicates the structure of self-actualization. They act as metaneeds. Their suppression gives rise to a certain type of pathology, which has not yet been sufficiently well described.

In some definite and empirical sense, a person needs to live in beauty and not in ugliness, just as he needs food for a hungry stomach or rest for a tired body. In fact, these B-values are the meaning of life for most people, although many do not even suspect that they have their own meta-needs.

A. Maslow identifies eight ways of self-actualization.

First, self-actualization means complete, alive and selfless experience with full concentration and absorption, that is, an experience without adolescent shyness. At the moment of self-actualization, the individual is wholly and completely human. This is the moment when "I" realizes itself. At the present time, we can see how in young people who want to appear cruel, cynical and experienced, something of childish indifference reappears; something innocent and fresh is reflected in their faces as they fully dedicate themselves to reliving the moment. The key to this is selflessness. Our young people suffer from a lack of selflessness and an overabundance of shyness and conceit.

Secondly, the very word "self-actualization" implies the presence of "I", which can be actualized. Man is not malleable wax. It is always already something, at least some core structure. The human being is already at least a certain temperament.

Thirdly, it is necessary to imagine life as a process of constant choice. At every moment there is a choice: advance or retreat. Either moving towards even more protection, security, fear, or the choice of advancement and growth. To choose development instead of fear ten times a day means ten times to advance towards self-actualization. Self-actualization is a continuous process; it means multiple separate choices: lie or be honest, steal or not steal. Self-actualization means choosing from these possibilities the possibility of growth. This is what the movement of self-actualization is.

Fourth, when you doubt something, try to be honest, don't defend yourself with the phrase: "I doubt it." Often, when we doubt, we are untruthful. Turning to himself, demanding an answer - this means . This in itself is a huge step towards self-actualization. Whenever a person takes responsibility, he is self-actualizing.

Fifth, so far we have talked about experiencing without criticism, choosing growth over choosing fear, listening to the voice of impulse, honesty, and taking responsibility. These are steps towards self-actualization, and they all provide better life choices. The person who does these little things in every situation of choice will find that they help him choose better what is constitutionally right for him. He begins to understand what is his destiny, what is the meaning of his life. A person cannot make a good life choice until he begins to listen to himself, to own self at every moment of your life.

In order to express an honest opinion, a person must be different, independent of others, must be nonconformist.

Sixth, self-actualization is not only the final state, but also the process of actualizing one's capabilities. This, for example, is the development of mental abilities through intellectual pursuits. Here, self-actualization means the realization of one's potential abilities. Self-actualization is not necessarily doing something out of the ordinary; it can be, for example, going through a difficult period of preparation for the realization of one's abilities. Self-actualization is labor for the sake of doing well what a person wants to do.

Seventh, the highest experiences are moments of self-actualization. These are moments of ecstasy that cannot be bought, that can be guaranteed and that cannot even be sought.

You can, however, and vice versa, put yourself in such conditions under which their manifestation will be extremely unlikely. Giving up illusions, getting rid of false ideas about yourself, understanding what you are not suitable for, what are not your potentialities - this is also part of discovering yourself, what you really are.

Almost everyone experiences higher experiences, but not everyone knows about it. Some people withdraw from these short-term subtle experiences.

Eighth, to find yourself, to discover what you are, what is good for you and what is bad for you, what is the purpose of your life - all this requires To do this, you need to identify your defenses and then find the courage to overcome them. This is painful, as the defenses are directed against something unpleasant. But giving up protection is worth it.

The ways of self-actualization proposed by A. Maslow can also be considered in his description of a person's mental health (we will give only a part of them) A. Maslow. Psychology of being. M .: "Refl-book" - K .: "Vakler", 1997. - S. 139. :

1. In order to create conditions for development and self-actualization, it is necessary to understand that abilities, organs, the body as a whole crave functioning and self-expression, they require that they be used and used for their intended purpose. Use brings them satisfaction, and inaction annoys them.

2. At the level of self-actualization, many dichotomies and contradictions are resolved, and the whole dichotomous way of thinking is recognized as immature. Self-fulfilling people have a strong tendency to merge selfishness and unselfishness into a unity of a higher, transcendent order. Work begins to be a game: vocation and profession become one and the same. When duty turns into pleasure, and pleasure into fulfillment of duty, then these two concepts cease to be opposites. Higher maturity includes "childish" qualities, and at the same time, we find in healthy children certain qualities inherent in a mature, accomplished person. The boundary between external and internal, between "I" and "everyone else" is largely erased, and at the highest level of personality development, their interpenetration is observed.

3. Self-actualization does not mean that a person becomes above all human problems. Conflict, anxiety, disappointment, sadness, resentment, guilt - all this can be found in healthy people. In principle, the movement towards maturity is a gradual departure from neurotic pseudo-problems to real, inevitable, existential problems inherent in the nature of people (even the best of them) living in a particular world. Even if a person has risen above the problems of Becoming, the problems of Being still remain.

4. Self-actualization is not an absolutely general concept. The road to it lies through the realization of masculine and feminine qualities, which are stronger than universal human qualities. That is, a human being must first become a real woman or a real man, thereby creating an opportunity for self-actualization in the universal human sense.

There is also evidence (few) that people with different constitutions carry out themselves differently (because they need to realize different internal values) A. Maslow. Psychology of being. M .: "Refl-book" - K .: "Vakler", 1997. - S. 146. .

1. An active position in relation to reality, studying and overcoming reality, and not escaping from it, the ability to see the events of one's life as they are, without resorting to psychological protection, understanding that behind a negative emotion there is a problem that needs to be solved , readiness to meet problems, negative emotions, in order to find and remove obstacles to personal growth - this is what allows a person to achieve an understanding of himself, the meaning of life, inner harmony and self-actualization.

2. Belonging to a group and a sense of self-respect are necessary conditions for self-actualization, since a person can understand himself only by receiving information about himself from other people. And vice versa, the pathogenic mechanisms that hinder the development of the personality are as follows: a passive position in relation to reality; repression and other ways of protecting the "I": projection, substitution, distortion of the true state of affairs for the sake of internal balance and tranquility.

3. The meaning of life can be found in the outside world, perhaps in three ways:

The performance of actions;

The experience of values, the experience of unity with other people, the experience of love;

An experience of suffering.

The author of the course work shares the point of view of humanists that the meaning of life can be found in the outside world in three ways: 1) by doing things; 2) the experience of values, the experience of unity with other people, the experience of love; 3) the experience of suffering.

Thus, from the point of view of the theory of a self-actualizing personality, the task of a person is to become what is possible - himself - in a society where conditions do not contribute to this. A person is the highest value and, ultimately, is responsible only for being successful.

Conclusion

The work on the topic of the course work significantly enriched and expanded the author's knowledge on the problem of self-actualization of the individual. Tasks were solved:

1. a theoretical review and analysis of educational literature sources on the research problem;

2. the essence of self-actualization and concepts similar to it are revealed;

3. the content of A. Maslow's theory of motivation is disclosed;

4. The ways of self-actualization of a person according to A. Maslow are indicated.

The emergence and formulation of the basic principles of the theory of self-actualization is associated with the name of the American psychologist A. Maslow. In the center of her attention is the concept of the formation of a personality, the idea of the need for maximum creative self-realization, which means true mental health.

The tendency towards self-actualization, according to K. Rogers, is a manifestation of a deep tendency towards actualization.

Maslow gave several characteristics and definitions of self-actualization, one of them is the desire of a person for self-embodiment, for the actualization of the potentialities inherent in him, manifested in the desire for identity.

Self-actualization and self-realization are two inseparable sides of one process, the process of development and growth, the result of which is a person who has maximized and used his human potential, a self-actualized personality.

The generalizing (most complete) definition of self-actualization looks like this: Self-actualization is an experience, all-consuming, bright, self-forgetful; it is a process, it is a choice in every situation in favor of growth; implies that there is a certain "self" subject to "actualization"; it is honesty and taking responsibility for your choice; honesty and freedom in expressing one's rights, non-conformism; it is not only the final station, but also the journey itself and the driving force of the journey; this is not a pursuit of higher experiences, they themselves overtake a person if he deserves it.

Maslow's theory of motivation has a hierarchical structure, the following levels are distinguished in it:

5: Needs related to self-actualization, or needs of personal wealth.

4: Needs related to respect for others and self-respect.

3: Needs related to love and acceptance - in affective relationships with others, in inclusion in a group; the need to love and be loved.

2: Needs related to security - for confidence, order, structure, predictability of the environment.

1: Basic physiological needs.

A. Maslow identified eight ways of self-actualization. Firstly, self-actualization means complete, alive and selfless experience with full concentration and immersion. Secondly, the very word "self-actualization" implies the presence of "I", which can be actualized. Man is not malleable wax. It is always already something, at least some core structure. Thirdly, it is necessary to imagine life as a process of constant choice. At every moment there is a choice: advance or retreat. Either moving towards even more protection, security, fear, or the choice of advancement and growth. Fourth, when you doubt something, try to be honest, don't defend yourself with the phrase: "I doubt it." Often, when we doubt, we are untruthful. Turning to himself, demanding an answer - this means to take the responsibility. Fifth, a person cannot make a good life choice until he begins to listen to himself, to own self at every moment of your life. Sixth, self-actualization is not only the final state, but also a continuous process of actualizing one's capabilities. Seventh, the highest experiences are moments of self-actualization. Eighth, to find yourself, to discover what you are, what is good for you and what is bad for you, what is the purpose of your life - all this requires exposing their own psychopathology.

Bibliography

1. Adler A. Understand the nature of man. - St. Petersburg: Academic prospectus, 1997

2. Ananiev B.G. Man as an object of knowledge. - M.: Nauka, 2000

3. Maslow A. Psychology of being. M .: "Refl-book" - K .: "Vakler", 1997.

4. Maslow A. Motivation and personality. Translation by A.M. Tatlybaeva. - St. Petersburg: Eurasia, 1999.

5. Maslow A. Far limits of the human psyche. - St. Petersburg: Eurasia, 1997

6. Maslow A. Self-actualization // Personality Psychology: Texts. - M., 1982.

7. Leontiev D.A. Development of the idea of self-actualization in the works of A. Maslow. // Questions of psychology. - 1985. - No. 3. - S. 150 - 158.

Personal self-actualization

The problem of self-actualization of personality was most clearly represented by two leading psychologists, the founders of the humanistic approach to psychological science - K. Rogers and A. Maslow. Therefore, the theory of self-actualization is rooted in the humanistic direction of psychology. It was first introduced in the mid-20th century in the United States and became a core component of humanistic psychology, which declared itself the third germ of psychology along with behaviorism and psychoanalysis. Humanistic psychology got its name due to the recognition of the dominant aspect of personality as a single unique system, which is not something provided in advance, but an open opportunity for self-actualization. It is based on the belief that everyone is likely to flourish if they are given the opportunity to independently choose their own destiny and give it the right direction.

The emergence of the concept of self-actualization of the personality and the allocation of its main positions are associated with the name of A. Maslow. Its key point is the concept of personality formation, the doctrine of the need for ultimate creative self-realization, which leads to true mental health.

According to the study of self-actualization conducted by A. Maslow, different definitions are given, but all scientists agree on the main thing:

- in the need to reconcile the individual with the inner "I" as the "core" of the personality and its expression, in other words, "ideal functioning", the development by the subject of all personal and species characteristics;

- in minimizing diseases, neuroses, which reduce the fundamental personal and general inclinations of the individual.

Some researchers believe that it is self-actualization and the subject that are the strongest of the needs of the individual, which can overshadow even the need for food or sleep.

In accordance with the concept of K. Rogers, two directions can be distinguished in the psyche of the individual, provided from birth. The first is a self-actualizing direction, which includes inclinations, future personality traits. And the second direction is a mechanism of control over the formation of personality or an organismic tracking process. It is on these two tendencies that the formation of a unique personality is based, including the “I” real and ideal, between which a completely different relationship can be observed - from disharmony to maximum harmony.

In this concept, self-actualization and self-realization of the subject are closely related. Self-actualization of a person is presented as a process of discovering individual potential, which allows one to become a person who uses absolutely all possibilities. In the course of achieving the goals, the individual lives a fantastically rich, exciting life filled with self-improvement and amazing results. Such a person lives, enjoying every moment of existence “here and now”.

It is possible to single out the typical features of self-actualization of personality. An individual who is engaged in self-actualization and has achieved great success in it can be characterized as follows:

doing what you love;

not subject to foreign influence;

strives for development;

loves to read;

he can be called a creative person;

applies a positive way of thinking;

self-assured;

open emotionally;

forgives himself for the periodic incontinence, irritability inherent in all.

Such individuals are in complete harmony with themselves, as a result of which it can be said with conviction that personal growth contributes to a happier life.

Unfortunately today, the problem of self-actualization is considered one of the most undeveloped aspects in psychology.

Maslow's self-actualization

Maslow is considered the founder of the humanistic approach to psychology. The American psychologist, in contrast to his scientific comrades, studied mentally healthy individuals, creatively developed individuals, in other words, such subjects who had achieved self-actualization. And directly under the term self-actualization, he meant the full use of abilities, potential, inclinations by individuals.

Maslow's theory of self-actualization is an experience that is perfect, selfless, alive, with full concentration, absorption and absorption, in other words, an experience without the shyness inherent in adolescence. He also developed the characteristics of self-actualizing personalities:

- a more effective perception of reality and more favorable relations with it;

- acceptance of oneself, others, nature;

- spontaneity, artlessness, immediacy;

- focus on the goal;

- a non-hostile sense of humor;

- the need for isolation and solitude;

– independence from cultural and environment, autonomy;

– constant novelty of the assessment;

– experience of higher states;

- deeper and more perfect interpersonal relationships;

- separation of means and tasks, the concept of good from evil;

- a sense of belonging, union with others;

- self-actualizing creativity.

Maslow's theory of self-actualization is that in order to achieve the goal of avoiding disappointments in human nature, individuals must first give up illusions about it. Maslow proposed eight principles of self-actualization.
The first principle is based on total selfless living experience with absolute concentration and absorption. Often individuals are not aware of what is happening in themselves and around them.

The second principle lies in choosing a solution in the direction of growth in any situation. Choosing to grow means opening yourself up to new, unforeseen experiences that run the risk of being left in the unknown.

The third principle teaches individuals to actually exist, not potentially. This principle means that you need to decide on things that give pleasure and which do not, regardless of the opinions and positions of others.

Principle four embraces taking responsibility and honesty, which are moments of self-actualization.

The fifth principle is trusting one's own instincts, views and following them, and not trusting what is accepted in society. Only in this case, the individual will be able to make the right choice of profession, diet, life partner, creativity, etc.

The sixth principle advocates the regular development of their inclinations, talents, inclinations, their use in order to do excellently what they want to do.

The seventh principle covers the transitional stage in self-actualization, which Maslow referred to as the "peak experience." In the moments of "peaks" people think, act and feel as clearly and clearly as possible. They love and accept others more, are freer from personal conflict and unrest, and can use their energy more constructively.

Principle eight symbolizes the next step of self-actualization, aimed at finding "protection" and destroying it. Maslow's concept of "protection" implies projection, rationalization, repression, identification, etc., in other words, everything that is used in psychoanalytic practices.

Maslow identified several levels of fundamental needs, presented below. At the lowest level, he placed physiological needs, such as the need for food or intimacy. They are followed by the need for security. It is in order to satisfy this need that the subject will acquire an apartment, clothes, observe a certain regime, etc. At the third level, there is a need for belonging and love, i.e. the individual acquires a family, friends. The next level covers the need for respect, i.e. the subject moves up the career ladder, is involved in politics, etc. The fifth level contains the need for self-actualization. It is the highest level in the presented hierarchy of needs model.

Maslow identified common features for higher needs. He argued that higher needs later manifest themselves. The specificity of higher needs lies in their uselessness for survival, i.e. the higher the level of the hierarchy the need is, the less it will be necessary for survival, the longer its satisfaction will be postponed.

Higher biological efficiency depends on the level of satisfaction of needs, i.e. the higher the level, the greater the efficiency, life expectancy, fewer diseases, etc. All higher needs are perceived by individuals as less relevant. After all, a person is not up to reading books when there is nothing to eat or nowhere to live. Satisfaction of higher needs often leads to personal development, a happier life and enrichment of the inner world.

Only after satisfying the need for self-actualization does the subject become actually complete.

The need for self-actualization

One of the internal manifestations of the desire for personal development is the need for self-actualization.

According to the concept of K. Rogers, human nature contains a quality or phenomenon that encourages him to move in the direction of progress, to maturity, i.e. to greater adequacy of one's own self, potential and inclinations, to the integrity of the individual. Rogers was convinced that personal growth is inherent in every individual. He argued that even if the desire for self-actualization is tightly locked under layers of rusty psychological defenses, hidden behind sophisticated aspects that reject the very fact of its reality, it still exists in every individual and only waits for the moment when favorable conditions arise in order to manifest itself. Rogers' theory of self-actualization is based on his belief in the inherent desire to become a whole person, capable and competent as far as the potential allows.

According to Maslow, the need for self-actualization represents the need for self-development, the need for self-expression, the need for self-fulfillment, the desire for identity. He was convinced that the process of self-actualization is a full-fledged development of the personality, which corresponds to the biological predetermination of the individual.

K. Goldstein argued that it is the abilities of the individual that determine his needs. In developing the doctrine of self-actualization, Maslow argued that the abilities of the individual stubbornly demand their use and stop putting forward their demands only on condition that they are fully used.

In accordance with Maslow's theory, the main motivating force that predetermines the behavior of an individual is the strength of a person's feelings in his personal experience. The process of self-actualization is also reflected in hedonism - the enjoyment of the highest benefits inherent in human nature. It is embodied in a feeling of deep satisfaction with life, expressed in a sense of wholeness and enlightenment. Maslow called these experiences peak experiences.

The value and intensity of experiences that are associated with the satisfaction of lower needs, for example, in food or sleep, has a predisposition to decrease with each subsequent action to satisfy this need. Along with this, the peak experiences experienced by a person in the course of self-actualization are the most intense in strength, stable and have a greater value for the subject, in comparison with the experiences arising from the satisfaction of lower needs. This is the basis of Maslow's entire concept of the hierarchy of needs. The main postulate of his concept can be considered the assertion that the desire for self-actualization will always prevail in the ranking of motives.

Goldstein also argued that a healthy subject may temporarily delay the satisfaction of such needs as food, sex, for the sake of satisfying curiosity or other motives.

Maslow believed that in order to satisfy higher needs, the subject can endure hardships, hardships, and will make sacrifices. Often, for the sake of views and principles, an individual agrees to lead an ascetic lifestyle. At the same time, Maslow emphasized the fundamental difference between scarce and existential motivation. A subject who has not satisfied his basic needs, feels a shortage, for example, in security or food, will perceive the world as a hostile reality, which requires him to mobilize all efforts for survival. In such a world, he gets used to being defeated, as a result of which his entire moral and value system is subordinated only to lower needs. At the same time, the self-actualizing individual no longer cares about the problems of survival, he is striving for development and is controlled by internal potentialities that were originally laid in him by nature and require their implementation and development.

According to Maslow, self-actualization of a person means moving upward from the need to eliminate the deficit. He emphasized that self-actualization of a person cannot be considered as a state of nirvana, in which there are no problems at all. On the contrary, in the process of self-actualization, a person faces real problems of being, which can bring disappointment and pain. Going beyond the boundaries of their own capabilities in the process of creative being, a self-actualizing individual has to fight with himself in order to force himself to make efforts for the next step in his own being.

Along with this, Maslow was convinced that self-actualization cannot be an end in itself. He said that the process of self-actualization is a hard and painstaking work leading to a gradual increase in achievements. Maslow also pointed to the possibility of "pseudo-development" due to evading an unmet need. This happens when a person convinces himself that the unsatisfied higher need for self-actualization is actually satisfied or does not exist at all. However, this need is necessarily present as an unconscious force that calls on the individual to develop his own potential, to fulfill his life destiny, becoming himself.

Self-actualization, as the goal of the personality, will simultaneously be an intermediate and final goal. Maslow was sure that self-actualization is not precisely the final state, it is directly the process of translating the potential inherent in the individual into reality.

Development of self-actualization

Today, in an era of rapid social transformations that force a person to constantly transform their own established and established life relationships, rebuild themselves, the problem of applying and developing personal potential is becoming more acute and qualitatively new. Therefore, the question of the importance of creating conditions for personal self-actualization, the need for incentives for personal growth and the development of the creative potential of those individuals whose professional and labor activities include training, education and assistance is of particular relevance.

For individuals whose profession is closely related to communicative interaction with people, a high degree of personal maturity, mental health and the degree of self-actualization are not only professionally significant characteristics, but also key factors that determine work efficiency.

Self-actualization is a mental neoplasm that is directly related to the formation of the highest possible abilities, the need to achieve success, overcome obstacles and strive for unknown peaks of growth, both personal and professional.

The development of self-actualization is an eternal value for any modern subject. Contributing to the process of mastering the external elements of a positive attitude towards the implementation of activities, as a result of which a positive attitude towards one's own personality is formed, the perception of oneself as a subject of such activity, self-actualization plays the role of a driving factor in the development of personality. It contributes to the maximum manifestation of personal potential, the disclosure of the most hidden possibilities of the individual, and leads to self-organization and personal. Also, self-actualization is a key factor in the formation of internal integrity, the inseparability of all aspects of the personality. So, for example, self-actualization determines the purposeful nature of the subject's activity, gives promises for further professional and personal growth, promotes interactive processes of personal formation at the same time, being such a moment organizing the personality that leads to the natural state of self-organization.

A necessary condition and foundation for the development of self-actualization will be the harmony of the psychological organization of the individual. The harmony of the psychological organization of personal self-actualization is determined by the formation of the spheres of the personality's life (behavioral, intellectual and emotionality), the balance of development of these spheres and their integration.

Needs of self-actualization

Finally, the highest level in the pyramid - the needs of self-actualization - Maslow defined as the desire of a person to become what he can become: “Musicians must play music, artists must paint, poets must compose poetry if they, in the end, want to be in peace with by ourselves. People should be what they can become. They must be true to their nature” (quoted by: Kjell L., Ziegler D. Theories of Personality: Basic Provisions, Research and Application. St. Petersburg, 1997).

One should not think that self-actualization is possible only for artistically gifted people - artists, musicians, etc. Everyone has their own creative and personal potential. Each person has his own calling, and the need for self-actualization means the desire to find this calling in yourself and achieve the opportunity to do exactly this, your favorite thing. Ways and forms of self-actualization are very diverse, and it is at this highest level of needs that people's motivation and behavior are most individual and unique.

Maslow argued that the desire to maximize their potential, in principle, is inherent in all people. Nevertheless, there are very, very few people who are guided by precisely these needs, that is, those whom the scientist called self-actualizing (according to Maslow, who conducted a special study, there are no more than 1% of the total population). Why do the needs inherent in the psyche of each person become motivating stimuli so rarely?

Maslow pointed to three reasons for this unfortunate situation:

- Ignorance of one's capabilities and lack of understanding of the benefits of self-improvement (doubts about one's own abilities, fear of success).

– The pressure of social and cultural stereotypes (a person’s potential may run counter to what society as a whole or his immediate environment requires of him: for example, the stereotypes of “masculinity” and “femininity” can prevent a young man from becoming a talented dancer or makeup artist, and a girl from achieving success in some "non-female" profession).

– Countering security needs (self-actualization processes sometimes require risky actions, actions without a guarantee of success, readiness to acquire new experience).

What are the people who are guided in life by the needs of this level? For a detailed acquaintance with the topic, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the works of A. Maslow himself, who collected many “portraits” of self-actualizing people and described them very vividly. We will confine ourselves to a brief enumeration of the qualities that are characteristic of these "best representatives" of human society.

1. Better perception of reality the ability to see reality as it is, and not as one would like to see it.

2. Acceptance of self, other people and nature- freedom from excessive pressure of shame, anxiety, feelings of guilt, harmony not only with your soul, but also with your body; the ability to treat with understanding the weaknesses of other people, without the desire to correct and remake them; admiration for nature and an understanding of the fact that laws beyond the control of man operate in it.

3. Immediacy, simplicity and naturalness- the lack of desire to produce an effect, to present oneself as someone else, and at the same time, the willingness to behave in accordance with the requirements of the situation, if necessary.

4. Problem centered- commitment to some cause, vocation, duty; business is perceived above immediate personal needs.

5. Independence and the need for privacy- the need for communication with oneself, the ability for creative, constructive loneliness.

6. Independence- independence from culture and environment, reliance on internal sources of strength and development, the ability to self-control and the absence of exposure to the influence of external conditions.

7. Freshness of perception- the ability to notice and appreciate even the most ordinary phenomena, the enjoyment of what is given by nature, fate, other people.

8. Summit experiences- the culminating moments of "enlightenment", a feeling of absolute harmony with the world and nature, going beyond the limits of one's "I".

9. public interest- a feeling of deep closeness, belonging to the human race, compassion and love for all mankind as a whole.

10. Deep interpersonal relationships- the social circle is small, but the relationship with each of the close people is very close, deep and serious.

11. Democratic character- freedom from class, racial, gender, age and other prejudices, willingness to learn from others.

12. Separation of means and ends- the end never justifies the means; adherence to moral and ethical standards (although not necessarily religiosity); the ability to enjoy various activities for the sake of the pleasure of the activity itself (enjoyment of the means), and not for the sake of achieving the goal (for example, the pleasure of physical exercise as such, and not the desire for the goal of "becoming healthy", etc.).

13. philosophical sense of humor- pleasure in that humor that causes a smile rather than laughter, not from those jokes that make fun of someone in particular or hit “below the belt”, but rather stupidity and absurdities in human life in general (a good example is the difference between some "momentary" jokes of M. Zadornov and philosophical humor of M. Zhvanetsky).

14. Creativity- spontaneous and natural creativity, like a child's; not necessarily creativity in art, but a fresh and free from patterns, enthusiastic approach to any business that a person is engaged in.

15. Civilization resistance- independence in maintaining one's own values and ideals, disobedience to dogma.

Even this brief description may contribute to the impression that self-actualizing people are some kind of “super-humans”, soaring alone above a huge gray mass. Maslow repeatedly emphasized that this is not at all the case. Yes, in many respects they are exceptional people and form a certain special layer in human society: “These individuals, who themselves are an elite, also choose an elite as friends, but this is an elite of character, abilities and talent, and not of birth, race, blood, name, family, age, youth, fame or power” (quoted by: Kjell L., Ziegler D. Personality Theories: Basic Provisions, Research and Application. St. Petersburg, 1997).

And these people are by no means angels, devoid of all human shortcomings. They can be difficult to communicate, stubborn, quarrelsome, conceited and quick-tempered. To many, they may seem cold and indifferent, and sometimes indeed behave with a "surgical coldness", especially in situations of conflict resolution. Like all other people, they suffer from insecurity and doubt, or they annoy and offend others. Nevertheless, they serve as clear evidence that the potential for human growth and development is far greater than most of us are content with.

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14. PSYCHOLOGY OF DEVELOPMENT AND SELF-ACTUALIZATION: BASIC ASSUMPTIONS

Portal for the student. Self-training

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What is a self-actualized person?

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Chapter 1 The concept of self-actualization

Human life is not a random chain of events, but rather a fast-paced and tense drama that develops according to a certain plot. The plot is that something within us strives for self-realization and is constantly fighting with the outside world for its existence.

J. Ortega y Gasset

The concept of self-actualization originates in the theory of self-actualization, which, in turn, comes from humanistic psychology. Let's briefly consider its main characteristics.

The theory of self-actualization was developed in the USA in the middle of the 20th century and became a key component for "humanistic" psychology, which declared itself the "third branch" of psychology, as opposed to behaviorism and psychoanalysis.

1. Man as an integral being surpasses the sum of his constituents (in other words, man cannot be explained as a result of the scientific study of his partial functions);

2. Human existence unfolds in the context of human relations (in other words, a person cannot be explained by his partial functions, in which interpersonal experience is not taken into account);

3. A person is conscious of himself (and cannot be understood by psychology that does not take into account his continuous, multi-level self-awareness);

4. A person has a choice (a person is not a passive observer of the process of his existence: he creates his own experience);

5. A person is intentional (a person is turned to the future, there is a goal, values ​​and meaning in his life) Vakhromov E.E. Psychological concepts of human development: the theory of self-actualization. - M.: International Pedagogical Academy, 2001. - S. 47. .

According to the analysis carried out by A. Maslow, self-actualization is defined in different ways, but in the main, all scientists clearly agree with each other. All definitions say:

about reconciliation with the inner Self as the "core" of the personality and its manifestation, that is, about "ideal functioning", the development by the individual of all his individual and general characteristics;

about minimization of diseases, neuroses, psychoses, lowering the fundamental individual and general human abilities A. Maslow. Motivation and personality. Translation by A.M. Tatlybaeva. - St. Petersburg: Eurasia, 1999. - S. 136. .

Vakhromov E.E., trying to define the concept of "Self-actualization", will share the point of view of A. Maslow, arguing that you first need to understand who self-actualizing people are.

AT "Far reaches of the human psyche" Maslow formulated the characteristics in which self-actualization is manifested:

1) complete acceptance of reality and a comfortable attitude towards it (not to hide from life, but to know, understand it);

2) acceptance of others and yourself (“I do mine, and you do yours. I am not in this world to meet your expectations. And you are not in this world to meet my expectations. I am me, you are you, I respect and accept you for who you are”);

3) professional enthusiasm for what you love, orientation to the task, to the cause;

4) autonomy, independence from the social environment, independence of judgments;

5) the ability to understand other people, attention, goodwill towards people;

6) constant novelty, freshness of assessments, openness to experience;

7) distinction between ends and means, evil and good ("Not every means is good for achieving the goal");

8) spontaneity, natural behavior;

9) philosophical humor;

10) self-development, manifestation of abilities, potentialities, self-actualizing creativity in work, love, life;

11) readiness to solve new problems, to realize problems and difficulties, to realize one's experience, to truly understand one's capabilities, to increase congruence.

2) act - to do something; action process of doing things; - an act, a feat, an activity that has a material result; comes from the Latin root "actus" - which means an act, activity. Derivatives are: actuate - put into action, motivate; actualization - to put into practice the plan.

He does not give a strict definition of "self". In the work “Psychology of development and self-actualization: basic assumptions”, the understanding of “self” is outlined as follows:

1. Each of us has a certain inner nature, which is instinctive, primordial, given, "natural", that is, sequentially determined.

3. All of these are potentialities, not actual final states. They must be observed in development. They are formed or suppressed by extrapsychic factors. This core is rather weak than strong. It is easily suppressed or driven inside. The repressed self acts unconsciously.

4. The self contains both the general and the individual.

5. Self is revealed through self-observation and psychotherapy.

6. Unused elements of the self act unconsciously. The "repressed" remains an effective determinant of thought and behavior.

In the history of psychology, the priority of using the concept of The Self belongs to W. James, who considered the self to be “that constancy of personality that each of us discovers every time we wake up.” He distinguishes three "levels" of the self:

1) Material is what we identify with ourselves, including not only the body, but also the house, family, friends.

2) Social - "this is the recognition that he receives from others."

3) Spiritual selfhood is the internally subjective being of a person.

In Russian philosophy and psychology, the concept of "self" was used by philosophers S. Frank, A. Losev, P. Florensky, psychologists D.A. Leontiev, I.S. Konom.

In "The Far Limits of the Human Psyche" Maslow gives the last, generalizing definition of self-actualization Maslow A. The Far Limits of the Human Psyche. - St. Petersburg: Eurasia, 1997. - S. 112. :

1. - this is an experience, all-consuming, bright, selfless;

2. is a process, it is a choice in every situation in favor of growth;

3. - implies that there is a certain "self" subject to "actualization";

4. - this is honesty and taking responsibility for your choice;

5. - this is honesty and freedom in expressing one's rights, non-conformism;

6. - this is not only the final station, but also the journey itself and the driving force of the journey;

7. - this is not the pursuit of higher experiences. They will overtake you if you deserve it;

8. - having traveled the path, you will recognize yourself and your essence. Pathology will also be exposed. You will understand your defense mechanisms and will be able to muster the courage to abandon them.

Self-actualization is not a moment when supreme bliss dawns on us, but an intense process of gradual growth, painstaking work of small achievements.

Chapter 2 Maslow's Theory of Motivation

A. Maslow's theory of motivation is widely represented in all textbooks on the history of psychology and general psychology, so we note only those ideas that underlie the famous "pyramid".

In the hierarchy (from bottom to top) levels are distinguished:

Consider the characteristics of these needs in the interpretation of A. Maslow.

Physiological Needs- these are natural needs necessary for human existence (food, warmth, clothing, etc.).

As a rule, a person begins to feel the need for self-actualization only after he has satisfied the needs of A. Maslow's lower levels. Motivation and personality. Translation by A.M. Tatlybaeva. - St. Petersburg: Eurasia, 1999. S. - 64. .

Chapter 3 Ways of self-actualization of personality

Different ways of self-actualization can be provided if a person has higher meta-needs for development, life goals: truth, beauty, kindness, justice.

The existence of these B-values ​​greatly complicates the structure of self-actualization. They act as metaneeds. Their suppression gives rise to a certain type of pathology, which has not yet been sufficiently well described.

Conclusion

The work on the topic of the course work significantly enriched and expanded the author's knowledge on the problem of self-actualization of the individual. Tasks were solved:

1. a theoretical review and analysis of educational literature sources on the research problem;

2. the essence of self-actualization and concepts similar to it are revealed;

3. the content of A. Maslow's theory of motivation is disclosed;

4. The ways of self-actualization of a person according to A. Maslow are indicated.

The tendency towards self-actualization, according to K. Rogers, is a manifestation of a deep tendency towards actualization.

Maslow gave several characteristics and definitions of self-actualization, one of them is the desire of a person for self-embodiment, for the actualization of the potentialities inherent in him, manifested in the desire for identity.

Self-actualization and self-realization are two inseparable sides of one process, the process of development and growth, the result of which is a person who has maximized and used his human potential, a self-actualized personality.

Maslow's theory of motivation has a hierarchical structure, the following levels are distinguished in it:

5: Needs related to self-actualization, or needs of personal wealth.

4: Needs related to respect for others and self-respect.

3: Needs related to love and acceptance - in affective relationships with others, in inclusion in a group; the need to love and be loved.

2: Needs related to security - for confidence, order, structure, predictability of the environment.

1: Basic physiological needs.

Bibliography

1. Adler A. Understand the nature of man. - St. Petersburg: Academic prospectus, 1997

2. Ananiev B.G. Man as an object of knowledge. - M.: Nauka, 2000

5. A person is intentional (a person is turned to the future, there is a goal, values and meaning in his life) Vakhromov E.E. Psychological concepts of human development: the theory of self-actualization. - M.: International Pedagogical Academy, 2001. - S. 47. .

The existence of these B-values greatly complicates the structure of self-actualization. They act as metaneeds. Their suppression gives rise to a certain type of pathology, which has not yet been sufficiently well described.

7. Leontiev D.A. Development of the idea of self-actualization in the works of A. Maslow. // Questions of psychology. - 1985. - No. 3. - S. 150 - 158.