Maslow proposed a theory of self-actualization, according to which the human individual maturity is reached in the implementation of the personal potential. Thus, personal growth and self-actualization are the criteria of mental health. Psycho-social stage accompanied by a crisis that is a turning point in human life arising as a result of reaching a certain level of psychological maturity. Any crisis is a challenge, leading the person to personal growth and overcoming life's obstacles. Specific person decides on the next phase of the life cycle for a given stage of development of evolutionary task. “We viewed personal growth in general as a kind of growth that involves the intentional development of one’s own personality and life course” (Bauer, McAdams, 2004, p.572). Neurosis arises as a consequence of a failed personal growth. Requirements related to personal growth are the main motivator of human behavior itself, so they cannot be realized before of deficit needs. Meeting these needs relieves mental stress and restores balance (homeostasis), but the voltage that occurs as a result of the need for personal growth most likely increases the feeling of fullness of life.
Personality is one of those phenomena that are rarely interpreted in the same way by different authors. All determinations of the individual anyway conditioned by opposing views on its development. From the point of view of the biological approach each personality is formed and developed in accordance with its inherent qualities of abilities, and the social environment at the same time plays a very minor role. First, biological evolution and development as a whole determines the heredity factor. Heredity appears that the child passed the basic biological features of humans. Heredity helps to pass parent human physiological structure, type of nervous activity, the nature of metabolism, a series of reflexes. The biological factors include the inherent characteristics of a person. Congenital features are features that a child receives during fetal development, resulting from a number of external and internal reasons.
Biological factors influencing the formation of man as a person, applies the same health status. Good health contributes to successful development. Poor health impedes development process affects the psychology of the person as an individual. Biological factors include sexual dimorphism, which is complemented by a system of mental differences, manifested in a specific set of individual differences in the psycho-physiological reactions, cognitive processes, motivation, abilities and interests of men and women (Schmitt et al.). However, scientists have concluded that the majority of mental functions are no innate differences between men and women, the same differences that exist in young children, are not sufficient to justify the inequality of sexual social roles. Despite the fact that self-realization is a significant motive, but it cannot be considered as a fundamental requirement in terms of evolution. Many of the actions listed by Maslow in his theory reflect the most basic biological objectives based on obtaining the status to attract a mate and procreation. Also, heredity is a biological condition that quite a significant impact on people's behavior. However, the needs are influenced by the environment in which a person has acquired during lifetime. In theory, the growth of demand can be transmitted under certain conditions: the stability, constancy of the environment. While taking into account the variability and dynamism of modern environment is unlikely.
Most humanistic orientation of psychologists do not argue with the fact that the biological variables and environmental factors may influence behavior, but they emphasize the individual's own role in the definition and creation of their own destiny, and thus smooth determinism typical of other approaches. People are basically good, striving for growth and self-actualization. They also can change and active. Humanistic psychology sets particularly high mental health criteria. Anything that delays the realization of potential, all that prevents any human being to be all that he or she wants to be should be changed. For humanistic approach research priorities are human choices, creativity and self-actualization. Humanistic psychologists reject psychology as a biological approach, rejecting consciousness and based mainly on a study of lower organisms. People are not just motivated by the organic needs, such as sex and aggression, or physiological needs such as hunger and thirst. They have a need to develop their potential and abilities. The criteria for mental health should be growth and self-actualization, and not just the ego-control device or to the environment. The biological approach assumes that the individual seeks to realize their full potential within their inheritance. Man cannot always see clearly what actions lead to growth and what to regression. Humanistic psychologists believe that psychological studies too often directed at the disposal methods, rather than the importance of the research problem. The humanistic approach implies that it is necessary to study the important human and social problems, even if sometimes it is necessary to take advantage of less restrictive means to do so. Psychologists have tried to be objective in the collection and interpretation of observations, the choice of research topics can and should be sent to the value criteria.
Despite the numerous conceptual and other differences that exist between them almost all the psychological theory of personality are united in one thing: the person, stated in them, a person is not born, but becomes in the course of his life. It actually means the recognition that personal qualities and properties of the human acquired not genetically, but as a result of learning that is, they are formed and developed. Formation of the person is, as a rule, the initial phase of development of the human personality traits. Personal growth is due to a variety of external and internal factors. The external include: individual belonging to a particular culture, socio-economic class, and unique to each family environment. On the other hand, internal determinants include genetic, biological and physical factors.
References
Bauer, J. J., & McAdams, D. P. (2004). Personal growth in adults' stories of life transitions. Journal of personality, 72(3), 573-602.
Schmitt, D. P., Realo, A., Voracek, M., & Allik, J. (2008). Why can't a man be more like a woman? Sex differences in Big Five personality traits across 55 cultures. Journal of personality and social psychology, 94(1), 168.
