1. Growth Motivation and
Positive Psychology
Chapter 15

3. Holism And Positive
Psychology

4. Self-Actualization
Two Fundamental Directions
An ever-fuller realization of one’s talents, capacities, and potentialities (Maslow, 1987)
Inherent developmental striving

5. Hierarchy of Human Needs

6. Growth vs. Deficiency Needs
Growth Needs Deficiency Needs
 Person feels a need to fulfill
personal potential
 Also known as self-
actualization needs
 Provide energy and
direction to become what
one is capable of becoming
 States of wholeness,
aliveness, uniqueness,
truth, playfulness, and
meaning
 Physiological disturbances
 Needs for safety,
belongingness, and esteem
 Like vitamins: without
them, growth and
development are inhibited
 Deprivation= human
sickness (a failure to move
toward growth and
actualization)

7. Encouraging Growth
Table 15.1
Six Behaviors That Encourage Self-Actualization
1. Make Growth Choices
2. Be Honest
3. Situationally Position Yourself for Peak Experiences
4. Give Up Defensiveness
5. Let the Self Emerge
6. Be Open to Experience
Intimate and fulfilling relationships that support both autonomy and
openness

8. Actualizing Tendency
“The organism has one basic tendency and striving – to actualize, maintain,
and enhance the experiencing self.” (Rogers, 1951)

9. Process of Actualization

10. Causality Orientations

11. GROWTH-SEEKING VS. VALIDATION-SEEKING
Validation-Seeking
Strivings for proving self-worth,
competence, and likeability
Growth-Seeking
Strivings for learning, improving,
and reaching personal potential
Vulnerability to
mental health
difficulties

12. How Relationships Support
The Actulalizing Tendency

13. How Relationships Support
The Actulalizing Tendency

14. The Problem Of Evil

15. Positive Psychology & Growth

16. Outcomes
1. Fostering personal
growth and well-
being
2. Preventing human
sickness from ever
taking root within
the personality
Building Of
The Personal Strength
s
Positive Psychology & Growth

17. Three Illustrative Personal Strengths

18. Positive Psychology Therapy
 Gratitude visit
Write and deliver a letter (in person) of gratitude to someone
who has been kind to you
 Three good things in life
Each day, write down three things that went well and identify
the cause of each
 You at your best
Write about a time when you functioned at your best. Reflect on
the personal resources that made that possible
 Identify signature strengths
Identify up to five personal signature strengths and find a way to
use each in a new way

19. Criticism