Comparing gender differences of college students on Self Actualization

Melissa A. Velasquez
Missouri Western State College
April 30, 1996

Abstract

In this study, the administrator chose a random sample of 40 full-time (12 hours) students attending a Midwestern college to participate in the comparison of Self Actualization levels according to Abraham Maslow (1970). Results indicated no significant gender differences. Overall, the college students in this sample were found to exhibit the need for learning something new everyday and that he/she wanted to continue being educated about any one subject. All seven of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs were analyzed. They were as follows: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, cognitive understanding, aesthetic, and self actualization. The study showed that the 'need' for education and cognitive understanding were not met. Once these 'needs' are achieved each individual will become self actualized.

Introduction

The main focal point of this study was to compare male and female college students on their level of 'needs' bringing him/her to self actualization. Maslow (1970) defines self actualization as "the full use and exploitation of one's talents, capacities, potentialities, etc." Though Maslow stressed that a person's idea of self actualization can be anything from being an ideal mother to being an outstanding athlete. Maslow redefined self actualization by stating that a person is "mature, fully-human" and "whom the human potentialities have been realized and actualized"(1970). Maslow created seven 'needs' that a person can meet in order to achieve self actualization. The first 'need' to be met is the physiological need. This need represents the need for adequate food, water, and shelter. The second 'need' according to Maslow is safety. This need refers to the safety from being attacked physically or mentally. The third 'need' according to Maslow is love and belonging. This need represents the feeling of belonging to a group and having an identity. The fourth 'need' according to Maslow is esteem. This need refers to feeling good about oneself and feeling good about one's accomplishments and successes. The fifth 'need' according to Maslow is cognitive understanding. This need refers to the need for education and knowledge in one's life. The sixth 'need' according Maslow is the aesthetic need. This need refers to one's artistic appreciation and the appreciation for his/her beauty. The seventh and final 'need' according to Maslow is self actualization. This need refers to the height of human experience. According to Maslow, one must meet their needs in order of progression. For example, if a person didn't meet their physiological need, then they can not reach their safety need.

Within early research, testing college students according to health-risk behaviors has been very popular. Most of those studies focused on the consumption of alcohol and/or drugs, although there are a few studies which focus on the positive well-being of the college student (Oleckno, 1993). Also there have been a few studies investigating the topic of self actualization. The wellness of college students and the differences by gender, race, and class standing were analyzed by administrators by using the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile (1993). There were significant data between females and males and whites and nonwhites. The females seemed to have higher levels of wellness than the males and whites seemed to have higher levels of wellness than nonwhites. Fogarty (1994) used the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI) to determine self actualization of 74 disadvantaged college students. This study seemed successful to improve feelings of competency and self confidence.

By contrast, relatively few studies have included self-made questionnaires which investigated all of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. The purpose of the current research is to compare gender differences within college students on self actualization at a Midwestern college. The study was implemented to find whether males or females within a certain age limit in a college setting have achieved self actualization or if they are close to achieving their goals.

Method

Subjects

A random sample of 40 full-time (12 hours) students attending a Midwestern college were used to participate in the study on self actualization. There was an equal number of men and women subjects used in the investigation (20 males and 20 females). All of the subjects were between the ages of 17 and 54 years old. The subjects were notified that they could participate on a volunteer basis. Each subject was debriefed after taking the questionnaire concerning self actualization according Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. The subjects were obtained outside of the classroom and the administrator hand delivered each of the questionnaires to each subject. The administrator did not know what year the subject was in college nor did the administrator know the major of each subject.

Materials

A 20 questioned survey was administered to each subject. The instrument asked the subjects two to three questions about each motivational need according to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

Procedure

The administrator personally handed the survey to each subject and gave the subject a thorough set of instructions to follow. The administrator made sure that each subject knew that he/she did not have to participate in the study and that they could participate on a volunteer basis. The subject had as much time as he/she wanted to complete the survey. After the subject finished the survey, the administrator told the subject that the survey was used to compare the differences between males and females on self actualization.

Results

A Independent Samples t-test of gender was used to compare males and females on self actualization. The results indicated t (38) = .83, p > .05. The study seemed not to be significant comparing males and females on self actualization. This seems to indicate that the self actualization levels of both males and females are at the same level at this point. There didn't seem to be a fluctuation between either of the groups.

Discussion

Self actualization as defined, was measured by a Independent Samples t-test of gender on a .05 level and found no significant difference between males and females on self actualization. Though in early research studies within college settings indicated females had a higher level of self actualization than males. In the current study, both males and females seemed to agree that he/she has not fulfilled their need of knowledge and that he/she learns something new everyday. Also both males and females agreed that he/she will always want to learn about any one subject whether it be in their major or not. According to Maslow, a person can not reach another 'need' until that person has met the previous 'need'. The nonsignificant finding was probably due to the small size used in the study. Further research comparing different age groups and gender on their self actualization levels could also be done along with comparing different age groups with different ethnic groups on their self actualization levels.

In conclusion, I don't think that a standard 20 question survey is an ideal instrument to analyze self actualization. When analyzing self actualization, the administrator should give a standard published survey to his/her subjects in order to receive a reasonably valid and reliable results. However, these questions were relevant and described every 'need' according to Abraham Maslow.

References

Fogarty, G. (1994). Using the Personal Orientation Inventory to Measure Change in Student Self -Actualization. Personality Individual differences, 17,435-439.
Maslow, A. H. (1970). Motivation and Personality (2nd ed.) New York: Harper & Row.
Oleckno, W. (1994). Wellness of College Students and differences by gender, race, and class standing. College Student Journal, 20,421-429.
Back to MWSU Psychology Research Page
Back to PSY302 Research Page