Self-Actualization

Self-actualization refers to an individual’s potential to continually strive for the development of their intelligence and abilities, as well as the realization of their inner tendencies. It is a concept rooted in humanism. Renowned American psychologist Carl Rogers believed that the fundamental process underlying personality development is the inclination toward self-actualization. In Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, self-actualization represents the pinnacle of human needs. It embodies the aspiration to realize the full value of life, with the aim of broadening experiences and enriching life, rather than compensating for deficiencies. Maslow’s identification of self-actualizers involved individuals with robust mental states, leading to the delineation of 15 typical characteristics attributed to them: effective perception of reality; acceptance of themselves, others, and the world; spontaneity, frankness, and natural behavior; problem-centered rather than self-centered in...