Abraham H. Maslow was an American psychologist and one of the central figures in the development of humanistic psychology. Born in 1908, Maslow became widely known for his work on motivation, personality, creativity, peak experiences, and self-actualization. At a time when much psychology focused on pathology, conditioning, or behavior from the outside, Maslow helped redirect attention toward growth, meaning, human potential, and the conditions that allow people to become more fully themselves.His 1943 essay A Theory of Human Motivation introduced the model that later became known as Maslow's hierarchy of needs, one of the most recognized frameworks in modern psychology. Maslow's later works, including Motivation and Personality and Toward a Psychology of Being, expanded his ideas about self-actualization, values, creativity, and psychological health. His influence remains strong in psychology, education, business, leadership theory, counseling, coaching, and personal-development literature.