Maslow was mainly concerned with explaining how?

Answer 1

Abraham Maslow's focus was self-actualization. While today, this is a fairly common idea (some might say too common), it was groundbreaking when Maslow proposed it and founded the humanistic branch of psychology.

Maslow's hierarchy of human needs has a very good explanation in Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs), so I won't rehash it here.

One thing to keep in mind is that the hierarchy of needs are looking at life in general, rather than individual situations. If you're in a life situation where you don't know if or when you will eat next, you won't be able to focus on much else. This is a far different situation than choosing social acceptance over food on a more minute scale (skipping meals to spend time with friends, for example).

Answer 2

Maslow was mainly concerned with explaining how individuals can achieve their full potential and self-actualization. He proposed that humans have a hierarchy of needs, starting with basic physiological needs and progressing to higher levels of psychological needs, ultimately leading to self-fulfillment and personal growth. His theory illustrates the importance of addressing foundational needs before individuals can strive for more complex goals.