What drives our behavior? Why do we pretend to like our new acquaintance's favorite sport, when indeed it bores us? What keeps us up late into the night finishing that school or work slide-show presentation? What precipitated the web search that landed you on this blog?
There are numerous theories of psychology that address these questions. In 1943, Abraham Maslow introduced the 'Hierarchy of Needs' model. The first four 'basic' or 'deficiency' needs are what we think of as human necessities: physiological, safety, belonging/love needs, and esteem needs. When we detect a deficiency in those areas we are driven to remove it. Maslow posited that deficiencies at one level must be corrected before one can move to the next level. For example, it's not likely that I will look into joining a meetup.com group (love, belonging) when I am being evicted from my apartment (physiological/shelter, safety/security).** The remaining needs are 'growth' needs. These are driven by a positive desire for growth, not by the urge to eliminate a deficiency; our deficiency needs must be met before our focus turns to the growth needs. Perhaps your desire to better understand yourself and human behavior in general landed you on this blog (cognitive/need to know). Maybe your esteem needs have been satisfied, and it is actually a desire for symmetry and order (aesthetic need) that keeps you up at night finishing that slide-show presentation.. While it is common enough to seek help when deficiency needs are not met, we are often driven to counseling by the need to 'self-actualize' -- to realize our full potential. While working on self-actualization, we may come to the conclusion that the perpetual focus on self leaves something to desire regarding our development, and we turn to self-transcendence (to connect to something beyond us, helping others find fulfillment and to meet their own potential). Many times I have witnessed a client to come into counseling and commence work on a deficiency need, such an 'intimacy issues' with a spouse (love and belonging), and as that deficiency is corrected, begin to explore personal talents and abilities as yet undeveloped. The fulfillment that comes from self-actualization work, as well as the type of potential uncovered, prompts the client to commit to value-driven living. Counseling offers the opportunity to identify what deficiency need is driving compulsive and/or self-sabotaging behavior. We can learn how to get these needs met, either by effectively requesting help from others, or providing ourselves with the needed object, experience, or feeling. Beyond the deficiency needs, counseling offers a dedicated space to explore self-actualization and self-transcendence; a means to participate in the full experience of being human. **The 'progression' of needs can be shaped by cultural norms and socio-economic conditions.
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AuthorColleen Ann McDonald, at your service. Archives
February 2016
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