Modes of survival
Scientific progress is fundamentally different from other human activities in that it involves both a venture into the unknown and a desire to change the environment. This type of work cannot be carried out on a routine basis and it requires a certain amount of mental health for its successful completion. The mental state of a researcher is to a large extent influenced by his or her environment; the environment is a crucial factor in the way people react and in a broader context on the development of one’s personality. One of the best‐known writers on personality development is Abraham Maslow (1954), who describes the various levels at which human beings actually function. His view is succinctly formulated by Takacs (1986).