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Chapter 10: Problem 4

Maslow states that "every time [people] threaten someone, or humiliate or hurt [someone] unnecessarily, or dominate or reject another human being, they become forces for the creation of psychopathology." What does this imply about: (a) Athletes who use "trash talk" to put down their opponents? (b) Politicians who use negative and derogatory commercials to win an election?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Maslow's theory suggests that harmful behaviors such as humiliation, rejection, or threat can contribute to creating a psychological disorder. Applying this theory, athletes using 'trash talk' and politicians using negative ads might be driving a negativity that goes beyond the game or election itself and could be contributing to a negative psychological environment.

Step by step solution

01

Interpret Maslow's quote

In Maslow's theory, when people threaten, humiliate, hurt, dominate, or reject others unnecessarily, they create a context for psychological disorder. This means that these negative and harmful behaviors can contribute to creating an unhealthy psychological environment.
02

Application to 'trash talking' athletes

Applying this understanding to athletes who use trash talk: these athletes, by putting down their adversaries, are using domination and humiliation. If we follow Maslow's thought, this behavior might be contributing to an atmosphere of psychological disorder, not only affecting the person who is targeted but perhaps also influencing the mentality of the athletes themselves.
03

Application to politicians using negative ads

Now applying it to politicians who use negative and derogatory commercials to win an election: these politicians are indirectly threatening and rejecting their opponents. This, according to Maslow, could contribute to creating a negative psychological environment, possibly affecting not just the politicians and their opponents, but also the public exposed to such negative information.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

A terrorist blows up a building in a hated foreign country. How might Maslow explain the terrorist's behavior?

According to Maslow, self-actualizing people taught him to see that too many people are "profoundly sick \(\ldots\) [because they] have their minds made up for them by salesmen, advertisers, parents, propagandists, TV, newspapers, and so on." Do you agree or disagree? Why?

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