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Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) was a leading psychologist whose hierarchy of needs has resonated throughout various disciplines. The pinnacle of Maslow's hierarchy was self-actualisation, characterised by the peak experience. However there are a series of definitional, theoretical and methodological issues related to the hierarchy and self-actualisation. Maslow specifically refuted his own theory, instead suggesting that research should be directed towards self-transcendence as characterised by the plateau experience. To date, the plateau experience has remained obscure. This book explores the problematic nature of self- actualisation and the relationship between peak experiences and flow, before progressing to analyse Maslow's composite musings about the plateau experience. From this, a number of defining characteristics are identified, which subsequently inform the development of a psychometric, the Plateau Experience measure (or PLEX). The PLEX has demonstrated secure psychometric properties and is offered as a resource to investigate the plateau experience further.
About the author
Scott Buckler, PhD, MSc, MEd, BEd (Hons) is a senior lecturer in education at the University of Worcester (UK) and an established author. He predominantly teaches applied psychology and research methods. His research interests include transpersonal psychology, applied psychology, and the martial arts.
