Rediscovering the Later Version of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Self-Transcendence and Opportunities for Theory, Research, and Unification
Review of General Psychology December 1, 2006 Mark E. Koltko-Rivera 734 citations
The conventional description of Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs is inaccurate as a description of his later thought; Maslow amended his model to place self-transcendence as a motivational step beyond self-actualization. Objections to this reinterpretation are considered, and possible reasons for the persistence of the conventional account are described. Recognizing self-transcendence in the hierarchy has important consequences for theory and research, including a more comprehensive understanding of worldviews regarding the meaning of life, broader understanding of the motivational roots of altruism, social progress, and wisdom, a deeper understanding of religious violence, integration of the psychology of religion and spirituality into mainstream psychology, and a more multiculturally integrated approach to psychological theory.