Maslow, Abraham H. (Abraham Harold)

Abraham Harold Maslow was born on April 1, 1908, in Brooklyn, New York. Maslow became interested in psychology at a young age, though first studying law before receiving degrees at the University of Wisconsin in psychology (BA in 1930, MA in 1931, PhD in 1934). While at Wisconsin, he became closely associated with Harry Harlow and his primate studies. After graduation, Maslow worked with E. L. Thorndike at Columbia. He then taught at Brooklyn College from 1937 until 1951. From 1951 until 1969, Maslow served as the chair of the psychology department at Brandeis University.

Maslow offered a new perspective to the field of psychology with his well-known concept of the Hierarchy of Needs, often displayed as a pyramid depicting the five levels of human needs. These levels are physiological needs, security needs, social needs, esteem needs, and self-actualizing needs. His ideas and concepts are still widely influential in a variety of disciplines today.

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