The relationship between self-actualization and creativity as a self-growth practice

Self-actualization is a term used to describe a state of fully realizing one’s potentials. Both Abraham Maslow (1959, 1970) and Carl Rogers (1959, 1961) spoke of self-actualization and an innate actualizing tendency all people are born with. A specific type of creativity is hypothesized to be associated with self-actualization by both of these authors: “self-actualizing creativity” or “constructive creativity.” This paper explores the relationship between self-actualizing creativity as a self-growth practice and self-actualization levels in a group of 99 volunteers recruited from the Internet to complete an online version of the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI; E. L. Shostrom, 1964) as well as a questionnaire designed by the author to explore self-actualization and creative practices of the participant. No significant relationships were found, potentially due to methodological issues. Future research in this area is recommended to take these methodological issues into account.