Self-Actualization among Students of Higher Education Institutions in Pakistan

Abstract

Man continually seeks to gratify some needs. As one need is satisfactorily fulfilled, it is replaced by another. Maslow characterized these needs as psychological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization. Self-actualization means the realization of one’s own capabilities to fulfill a job or work. This study is intended to know that how self-actualization is the need and desire at the higher education level in Pakistan. Two separate questionnaires each for teachers and students based on a four-point Likert scale. 150 teachers and 600 students of the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahauddin Zakariya University, and the University of Punjab was the sample of the study. Almost 80% of teachers and 87% of students responded to the research tools. Factor analysis yields 7 factors for students such as personal commitment towards self-actualization, ability to work in various social situations, self-regard among university students, social efficacy of the respondents, students’ commitment to social integration, professionalism among students, and self-acceptability among university. Descriptive statistics were calculated for both the data sets. The impact of demographic variables on each factor was calculated by either using t-test or one-way ANOVA. The major findings were more than 75% of respondents showed a personal commitment to their self-actualization, more than 66% of respondents showed self-acceptance. It was concluded in the perception of both respondent teachers and students that Pakistani university students did their best to meet the expectations of life, it was concluded through the analysis of the teachers’ responses that Pakistani university students had self-acceptability. The major recommendation was self-acceptability which is necessary for self-actualization so students should be provided with the opportunities so that students may be able to realize their abilities and skills for their self-acceptability.