Abraham Maslow
He reshaped psychology by arguing that human potential blossoms only after basic needs for safety and belonging are met.
1908–1970 (age 62)·American psychologist·Birthday: April 1·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Born in Brooklyn to Russian-Jewish immigrants, Abraham Maslow's early life was marked by isolation and a deep immersion in books. His academic path, initially studying law, took a sharp turn towards psychology after encountering the work of John B. Watson and later, the holistic theories of Kurt Goldstein. Teaching at Brooklyn College, he became a central figure in the humanistic psychology movement, a deliberate 'third force' positioned against the determinism of Freudian psychoanalysis and behaviorism. His seminal idea, the hierarchy of needs, presented as a pyramid, proposed that motivation progresses from physiological necessities up through safety, love, esteem, and finally to self-actualization—the drive to become one's fullest self. This framework, introduced in his 1954 book 'Motivation and Personality,' transcended academia, profoundly influencing fields from management and marketing to education and personal development, offering an optimistic vision of human nature focused on growth and peak experiences.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Abraham was born in 1908, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Abraham Was Born
The biggest hits of 1908
Abraham's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1908Born
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1913Started school
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1921Became a teenager
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1924Could drive
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1926Could vote
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1929Turned 21
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1938Turned 30
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1948Turned 40
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 50
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 60
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Died at 62
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
Key Achievements
- Published the foundational text 'Motivation and Personality' in 1954, formally introducing his hierarchy of needs.
- Served as a founding father and president of the American Psychological Association's division for Humanistic Psychology.
- His concept of self-actualization inspired extensive research into positive human potential and peak experiences.
- The hierarchy of needs became a ubiquitous model in organizational theory and business management training.
Did You Know?
He initially studied law at the City College of New York to please his father before switching to psychology.
Maslow conducted some of his early primate research on dominance and sexuality by observing monkeys at the Bronx Zoo.
He was the first of seven children and described his childhood as "unhappy and lonely," filled with books.
Later in life, he coined the term 'Jonah Complex' to describe the fear of one's own greatness and potential.
“What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself.”
