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Good Specimen

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Good Specimen

In Abrahm Maslow's Eupsychian Theory, the Good Specimen is an individual that is more fully developed than others, a "psychologically healthy...self-actualized" individual,[1] one that has more closely approximated Full Realization of its inherent Human Potential.

Concept Map

Key Terms

Eupsychia >

Eupsychian Theory >

Human Potential >

Syncretic Terms

Good Specimen >

Related LP Terms

Good Specimen > Seven Essential Needs

Non-LP Related Terms

Good Specimen >

Notes

Maslow believes that if you want to understand Human Potential, what humans are actually capable of, you study Good Specimens.[2]

Maslow suggests that organisms incline in the direction of making proper choices for themselves, that is, they incline towards self-regulation, self-government, self-choice. "The organism has more tendency toward choosing health, growth, biological success than we would have thought a century ago. This is in general anti-authoritarian, anticontrolling. For me it brings back into serious focus the whole Taoistic point of view. not only as expressed in contemporary ecological and ethological studies. where we have learned not to intrude and to control. but for the human being it also means trusting more the child's own impulses toward growth and self-actualization." [3]

Quotes

If we want to answer the question how tall can the human species grow. then obviously it is well to pick out the ones who are already tallest and study them. If we want to know how fast a human being can run, then it is no use to average out the speed of a "good sample" of the population; it is far better to collect Olympic gold medal winners and see how well they can do. If we want to know the possibilities for spiritual growth. value growth. or moral development in human beings.[4]

Maslow Index

... further results

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Footnotes

  1. Maslow, A. H. The Farther Reaches of Human Nature New York: Viking, 1971. p. 5-6
  2. A. H. Maslow, The Farther Reaches of Human Nature (Viking, 1971).p. 5-6.
  3. Maslow, A. H. The Farther Reaches of Human Nature New York: Viking, 1971. p. 13.
  4. A. H. Maslow, The Farther Reaches of Human Nature (Viking, 1971). p. 7.