Abraham Maslow was inquisitive about the motivational systems of mankind. He believes that these systems were unrelated to rewards and unconscious desires. He even created a five stage model that broadly illustrates his hierarchy of needs. These needs were basically divided according to physiological, safety, love, esteem and growth needs (Lee & Hanna, 2015). As he embarks on his journey of understanding human motivational systems, Maslow vaguely describes free will as it relates to growth and fulfillment in one’s life. Maslow states that people are motivated to achieve certain needs. This displays his belief in the free will to be motivated by the intrinsic needs connected to growth and fulfillment in life. Maslow views human responsibility in a very optimistic manner. Maslow believed that human nature is basically good, not evil and that normal human development involves the actualization of this inherent goodness. Thus, he ultimately feels that motivation is the most prominent force in determining what is truly seen as human responsibility. His idea of human responsibility and meaning is buried deep in the motivational systems that drive a person’s desire for growth and fulfillment. Maslow argues that human potential can be maximized when individuals perceive reality efficiently, can tolerate uncertainty and accept themselves and others for what they are (Zalenski & Raspa, 2006). Maslow elaborates even more about his view on human potential by stating that someone who is self-actualizing is problem-centered and possesses an unusual sense of humor.
Carl Roger’s work is most noticed for its ability to convey a greater depiction of the upward development of a person towards self-actualization. He defines free will in a similar manner to Maslow. Roger believes that the way we perceive our environment determines how it affects us. He discovered this and the incongruence between self-concept and our experience through thorough examination of personality and finding purpose in life. This leads to his definition of free will which is simply an extension to his phenomenological perspective that states, “A person’s perception of reality is important and a therapist’s job should not include interpretations of a client’s dynamics because it may heighten defensiveness and inhibit emotional expression” (Arnold, 2014).
Aside from agreeing with Maslow’s main assumptions, Carl simply added that for a person to “grow”, they need an environment that provides them with genuineness, acceptance (unconditional positive regard) and empathy (McLeod, 2014). Here he highlights the impact that the environment has on the human potential. He clearly shows the distinction between the ideal and real self and how the distance between the two add to the alienated and maladjusted attributes of an individual. This has an effect on the human potential according to Roger and he addresses this effect when he describes congruence and incongruence. This shows that outside of considering the environmental complexities involved in the process of self-actualization, Roger and Maslow views were appallingly similar.
Chart Distinguishing the Different View Points of Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers’ Insight on Freewill, Responsibility and Human Potential
| Abraham Maslow | Carl Rogers |
| Inquisitive about the motivational systems of mankind | Conveys a greater depiction of the upward development of a person towards self-actualization |
| Created a five stage model that broadly illustrates his hierarchy of needs | Believes that the way we perceive our environment determines how it affects us |
| Believes that free will is influenced by the intrinsic needs connected to growth and fulfillment in life | Definition of free will which is simply an extension to his phenomenological perspective that states, A person’s perception of reality is important |
| His idea of human responsibility and meaning is buried deep in the motivational systems that drive a person’s desire for growth and fulfillment | For a person to “grow”, they need an environment that provides them with genuineness, acceptance (unconditional positive regard) and empathy |
| Argues that human potential can be maximized when individuals perceive reality efficiently, can tolerate uncertainty and accept themselves and others for what they are | Highlights the impact that the environment has on the human potential by outlining the distinction between the ideal and real self and how the distance between the two adds to the alienated and maladjusted attributes of an individual. |
References
Arnold, K. (2014). Behind the Mirror: Reflective Listening and its Tain in the Work of Carl Rogers. The Humanistic Psychologist, 354-369.
Lee, J. M., & Hanna, S. D. (2015). Savings Goals and Saving Behavior From a Perspective of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, 129-147.
McLeod, S. A. (2014). Carl Rogers. Retrieved April 20, 2016, from Simply Psychology: http://www.simplypsychology.org/carl-rogers.html
Zalenski, R. J., & Raspa, R. (2006). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: A Framework for Achieving Human Potential in Hospice. JOURNAL OF PALLIATIVE MEDICINE, 1120-1127.
