Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

I was first introduced to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs by my brother who was taking a psychology elective at Virginia Tech. 

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a pyramid of needs necessary to reach self-actualization. It states that in order to get to the highest point in the pyramid, your previous needs have to be taken care of. When one need if fulfilled, a person seeks to fulfill the next one, and so on. The five-stages of the pyramid are biological and physiological needs, safety needs, love and belongingness needs, esteem needs, and then finally actualization needs.

Biological and physiological needs: air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex and sleep

Safety needs: protection and freedom from fear

Love and belongingness needs: friendship, affection and love

Esteem needs: achievement, independence, and self-respect 

Self-Actualization needs: realizing personal potential and self-fulfillment 

Resources used: 

McLeod, Saul. "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs." Simple Psychology. N.p., 2007. Web. 

     6 May 2015. <http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html>. 

Video via Science Channel

This video is the missing puzzle piece that ties together my entire independent study. This short clip, narrated by Morgan Freeman, explains how two identical twins can be greatly impacted base on their socioeconomic standing. It was just added to my presentation I will be presenting Monday the 11th. From this video I was reminded of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which will also be tied into my presentation. 

Does a child’s upbringing directly impact their future successes or failures? 

So back to my essential question... A child's upbringing does impact their future successes or failures due to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Future post about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs to come! Stay tuned... 

My Progress

Oh, goodness! I can't believe how fast my independent study has flown by. My final presentation and final report are due Monday the 11th (!!). So far I've found Malcolm Gladwell's book so inspiring.  It is interesting how the smallest things can relate to everyday life. Today however, I want to talk about Gladwell's work outside of The Tipping Point.

Instead I want to talk about one of Malcolm Gladwell's TED talks I came across: Choice, Happiness, and Spaghetti Sauce

He takes spaghetti sauce and relates it to finding the perfect recipe. It only took one differing view to revolutionize the pasta industry and make chunky spaghetti sauce popular. Diversity was introduced, and this process changed the way the food industry viewed making their customer's happy.

So why does this relate to nature vs. nurture?

When kids begin preschool, they are automatically picking up on small social cues. If they sit in a circle every morning to say their ABC's that will quickly because the norm. However, when those kids begin the enter middle school and are challenged with the task of "finding themselves," they are afraid to embrace diversity. It is because of this fear that finding ones self is a challenging task for a 13 year old.

Sesame Street

In the late 1960s, Joan Cooney hoped to create an "virus" in little kids for educational television. Her aim was to educated kids aged three to five-years-old from disadvantaged homes, so they had an advantage before entering elementary school. This tv show soon became known as Sesame Street. Gerald Lesser, a Harvard University psychology was along side Cooney in founding Sesame Street. Lesser believed television had no potential, and that a good teacher is interactive and engage children individually. Lesser was wrong however, because Sesame Street did catch on, and has been on air since November 10, 1969. This television series had the ability to merge together many cultural and educational gaps with a fun program.

Sesame Street is an example of "The Stickiness Factor." The stickiness factor involves how effectively an idea or product can stay etched in the mind of a viewer or consumer. 

My Progress

I'm officially two weeks into my independent study! I have not yet met with my mentor to discuss the first couple chapters of The Tipping Point, but hopefully that meeting will be scheduled in the next few days. I am currently on chapter 3 out of 8 of Malcolm Gladwell's book, so I hope to wrap up this book before the second week in April. In these three chapters I've read Gladwell's view on the three rules of epidemics, the law of the few, and the stickiness factor. I've already published my first blog post about the three rules of epidemics, so if you have a second, please check that out. It's fascinating information!

The Tipping Point ~ Opening

"What happened is that the small number of people in the small number of situations in which the police or the new social forces had some impact started behaving very differently, and that behavior somehow spread to other would-be criminals in similar situations." (Gladwell, 10)

I've always found it interesting how my Grandma and I have very different views of New York City. Her immediate reaction, is a puckered face followed by an "oh" of disdain. However, her reaction never agreed with my views of New York. When I traveled there to study this past summer, my mom constantly reminded me that she wouldn't have left me in the city alone 20 years ago.

So what changed in New York City in these 20 years? 

Malcolm Gladwell addresses contagious behavior in the opening of his book, The Tipping Point. He clearly states, "behavior is infectious." Somehow a large number of residents in New York City got "infected" with anticrime virus in a short period of time. Malcolm Gladwell relates contagious behavior to fashion trends. In fashion, trends catch on like wild fire and everyone is fighting to be seen as the "fashionable" one. Whether in fashion or just everyday life, Gladwell explains that all drastic changes start as only minute differences.

How does this relate to child behavior? 

Since the day a baby is born, they begin to take in the world around them. When children begin school, they are exposed to a new world filled with socially contagious behaviors. Later on in life around middle school, contagious behaviors reach an all time high (Oxford Journals). This is the time where preteens begin to question their bodies and overall appearance. The seemingly innocent behaviors the five-year-old had previously picked up, are not as innocent anymore. Middle School is the age where contagious behavior is pivotal to address.

The Essential Question

For the next few months, this blog will be an account of my psychology independent study. I will be working directly with an amazing mentor who is going to help keep me on track during this time. The essential question I'll be address is, does a child's upbringing directly impact their future successes or failures?

 

During the duration of my independent study, I have to read a variety of books. One of these books is The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell. After I completed Malcolm Gladwell's book, I'll move on to NutureShock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman.

Stay tuned! More is to come.