1. I discovered that those who score high in the extraversion category gain energy by being around others and lose energy when not. On the other hand, introverts gain energy from individual activities and lose energy when participating in social activities (Five Factor Test). Those who scored low in the openness category most likely have straightforward interests and advert from complex ideas. I learned that the conscientiousness category is designed to measure an individual’s ability to regulate their emotions (Five Factor Test). Personally, my highest category was Openness to Experience which shows that I am an imaginative, creative individual (Five Factor Test). Contrastingly, my lowest category was agreeableness which was a surprise considering I find myself to be a generally agreeable person.
2. In modern society, I feel that individuals struggle to enter the “love” stage because people are focusing more on fulfilling their safety and physiological needs. This is taking into account the large number of people who are homeless, unemployed, or ill. Additional factors affecting this could be economic or system issues. In order to reach “Self-Actualization”, it is important for individuals to prioritize their lower needs (Spielman p. 385). However, time can change the fulfillment of these needs and grant them increased urgency because of this. Additionally, when facing a failure or setback in the upper levels, human tend to revert back to behaviors that satisfy their lower needs instead. Trauma can also feed into the need for physiological and safety needs to be prioritized. I think it is quite possible that individuals reach a state similar to “Self-Actualization” while working on their subsequent needs as they become prevalent.
Thank you for reading!
Resources
Spielman, R. M. (2014). Psychology. Openstax.
Five Factor Test. (n.d.). Psychologist World. Retrieved October 27, 2023, from https://www.psychologistworld.com/influence-personality/five-factor-test/