A Pilot Study of Self-Actualization Activity Measurement

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow, 1943) is one of the preeminent motivational need theories. Originally, Maslow classified human needs into five categories: physiological, safety, and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Later modifications sub-divided self-actualization into four disparate categories: cognitive, aesthetic, self-actualization and self-transcendence (Maslow, 1967; Maslow, 1969; Maslow, 1970; Huitt, 2007). Physiological, safety, and belonging, and esteem needs were denoted as deficiency needs or D-needs. Cognitive, aesthetic, self-actualization and self-transcendence needs were denoted as being needs or B-needs. Self-actualized individuals have lower order D-needs generally satisfied, striving to satisfy higher order B-needs (Maslow, 1969). Self-actualization manifests characteristics like spontaneity, autonomy, comfort with solitude, non-hostile sense of humor, fellowship with humanity, and the ability to have peak experiences (Maslow, 1967). Self-actualized individuals tend to be spiritual, happy, and fulfilled, and concentrate on altruistic tasks that benefit society (Maslow, 1969).Well-known self-actualization inventories include the personal orientation inventory (POI) (Shostrom, 1964), the short-form measure of self-actualization (Bonjean & Vance, 1968), the need satisfaction questionnaire (NSQ) (by Payne, 1970), the self-concept scale (by Fitts, 1971), the consumer self-actualization instrument (by Brooker, 1975), the personal orientation dimensions (POD) (by Shostrom, Knapp, & Knapp, 1976), the seeking of noetic goals test (SONG) (by Crumbaugh, 1977), the short index of self-actualization (SISA) (by Jones & Crandall, 1986), the brief index of self-actualization (by Sumerlin, & Bundrick, 1996), the self-report measure of self-actualization (by Lefrancois, Leclerc, Dube, Hebert & Gaulin, 1997), and the measurement of actualization of potential (MAP) (by Leclerc, Lefrancois, Dube, Hebert & Gaulin, 1999). These inventories are typically self-report questionnaires that record self-actualization values by asking participants to rate their beliefs based on statements like fear failure, feel I must do what others expect me to do, and am loved because I give love (Jones & Crandall, 1986).These inventories have been validated or critiqued by (Robert & Robert, 1967; Damm, 1969; McClain, 1970; Knapp, 1971; Knapp & Comrey, 1973; Tosi, & Lindamood, 1975; Crandall & Jones, 1991; Ebersole & Humphreys, 1991; Flett, Blankstein & Hewitt, 1991; Richard & Jex, 1991; Lefrancois, Leclerc, Dube, Herbert & Gaulin, 1998; Cilliers, Koortzen & De Beer, 2004). The critics question the consistency, complexity, validity and reliability of previous value-based self-actualization inventories. However, there has been no attempt to determine if selfactualized beliefs materialize into self-actualized behaviors. This article outlines the development of an inventory called Self-Actualization Activity Inventory (SAAI) that measures self-actualized actions and determines if it correlates to selfactualizing values and beliefs.MethodMaterials and ProcedureWhen taking the SAAI, the participants were presented with literature, which defines and explains D-needs and B-needs as shown in Tables 1 and 2. The SAAI has 16 questions that are derived directly from the higher four B-needs outlined in Maslow's hierarchy of needs. The four B-needs are cognitive needs, aesthetic needs, self-actualization needs and self-transcendence needs. The questions in the inventory directly ask the subject how much time they spend in a week on activities to satisfy each of these four needs with four varying levels of intent (100%, 75%, 50% and 25%). Measuring the intent behind an activity is crucial when evaluating any self-actualization activity in order to get a true measure of self-actualization since some self-actualized activity could be performed due to work or other obligations. …