What's the difference between self-esteem and self-actualization?

1. 76

   Naveed Ahmed 624posted 10 years ago

   What's the difference between self-esteem and self-actualization?
   
   Self-esteem and self-actualization are two of the five stages of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. How can we differentiate between them?

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2. 84

   tsmogposted 10 years ago

   Self-esteem is a person's valuation of overall worth of self. Self-acutalization can be the process or the pinnacle of the process. The process is reaching fulfillment of an individual's highest needs such as meaning.
   
   The process is meeting and fulfilling lower level needs while seeking self-actualization. Meeting partially or fully lower level needs leads to fulfilling self-actualization as they essentially interact and support the steps upward, of which esteem is a level. Thus, Maslow used the symbolic pyramid.  Maslow uses or places self-esteem at the fourth level of growth - esteem, which leads onward toward self-acualization.
   
   The difference between esteem and self-esteem is it is respect and admiration, which occurs toward and away. Again, self-esteem is self valuation more so within, of which ultimately interacts socially. Maslow changed the Love & Belonging level one step below Esteem to be headed as social. He added three additional levels too (1970). Cognitive, Aesthetic, and Transcendence. Transcendence is a level above self-actualization.

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   1. 74

      dashingscorpioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Excellent answer!

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   2. 76

      Naveed Ahmed 624posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Oh I need to find the source for the three additional needs added by Maslow, as I have not heard of them. Coming to the other thing, do you mean self-actualization occurs at the fulfillment of every need level designed by Maslow?

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   3. 84

      tsmogposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Self-actualization 'was' the pinnacle & a constant thread. Each level is supportive & is actualized. Needs change. A fancy car at age 20 fulfills esteem & lower levels. Retired it is an economy car. Different needs actualized through tran

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