Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality

Biological and Humanistic Approach to Personality

Humans are intrigued about the notion of their existence, often question why their behavior is so, and why they have acted in the results of their actions. Could humans be destined to their behavior and actions at birth or do humans develop these traits as they grow and gain experience? These are all good questions that encompass the human mind and are translated in to psychology through theories. This paper will focus on the biological and humanistic approach to personality, why people act as they do. Furthermore, the paper will explore Maslow's theory on the hierarchy of needs and why growth needs the influence of personality formation, they biological factors that can influence the personality formation, and the relationship of biological factors to Maslow's theory.

Biological and Humanistic

Theorist believe that the biological approach to an individuals personality derives not at birth but is hereditary, another word is genetic. The whole approach to the belief that an individuals personality is first started at birth is out the door, and the person knows their personality from what their parents is. Theorists also state that each individual is biological person who focus their growth of personality through temperament, genes, and even traits. The biological approach gather that an person's personality characteristics become inherited or biologically influenced by hormones (Friedman & Schustack, 2009). It also goes as far as to say that the biological approach stems from the neutrons in a person's body. That the neutrons are the first steps of creating a persons feelings, actions, thoughts, and beliefs (Friedman & Schustack, 2009). In contrast is the humanistic approach, in which this personality focuses on the psychology of existential. It is the ability to make free will decisions and places an emphasis on spiritual and personal responsibility. It also emphasizes on the belief that all persons are born good, without ill intentions, and the respect for all humans. Theorists go as far as to say that under the humanistic approach, an individual achieves their personality through experience and growth. The humanistic approach sets itself apart from other theories in which is places an emphasis on subjective meaning, rejecting determinism, placing emphasis on positive growth not pathology (McGraw-Hill, n.d.).

Maslow's hierarchy of needs

Humanist theorist Abraham Maslow created what is known as one of the greatest theories, the hierarchy of needs. Maslow believed that each person is born with needs that must be met. He created five different basic steps to the hierarchy of needs that consisted of the physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. It is important to know that the process of each relies on previous, first starting with physiological and ending in self-actualization needs. He created it much like a pyramid. First the physiological need, which of course is a necessity for an individuals growth is the need for shelter, water, sleep, and oxygen. In order to proceed to the next part of the hierarchy the physiological needs must be met. Second is the safety and security need, where individuals will seek a way to become stable, find a place that will keep them from harm, and often finding safety among people who protect them. The third is the social need that consists of being loved, belonging to something or with some one, affection,