Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a theory of motivation that states that we are motivated by certain physiological needs. The most basic needs are at the bottom of the pyramid, and more complex needs are at the top. One thing you must remember is that Maslow and ERG Theory are two different theories of motivation.
What Is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?
The concept of a hierarchy of needs was introduced by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper titled, “A Theory of Human Motivation”. This hierarchy suggests that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other, more advanced needs. This is not to say that people cannot be motivated by more advanced needs, but rather that fulfilling basic needs is a prerequisite for motivation in most cases.
Maslow was more interested in learning about what makes people happy and the things they do to achieve that aim. A humanistic school of thought, Maslow’s ideas on human motivation and behavior were heavily influenced by some of the earliest research in social psychology—in particular, the work of Max Wertheimer, Kurt Lewin, and Abraham Maslow himself.
Maslow believed that people have a strong desire to be their best selves. To do this, they need to meet some basic needs like having enough food and feeling safe. They also need love and self-esteem.
Maslow believed that these needs are similar to instincts and play a major role in motivating behavior. He identified five different levels of needs, starting at the lowest level known as physiological needs. These needs are similar to instincts in that they motivate people to behave in certain ways.
Physiological Needs
Physiological needs are those that are essential to our survival. They include the need for food, water, air, and a stable internal environment. These needs are vital to our health and well-being, and if they are not met, we can suffer from various adverse effects.
Apart from the basic requirements mentioned above, physiological needs also include shelter and clothing. Sexual reproduction is also essential for the survival of the species, so it is included in this level of the hierarchy.
Security And Safety Needs
As you move up to the second level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, there are more complex needs. At this level, people want security and safety most. They need financial security and they want to be safe from accidents. Some ways that people can get these things are by having good jobs, being healthy with good food and exercise, and living in a safe place.
There are many examples of actions that are motivated by security and safety needs. Security and safety are among the most basic human needs, which is why so many people take action to achieve them. Some examples include: finding a job; getting health insurance or care that guarantees protection against financial loss in case of illness (and provides other benefits too); contributing money into your savings account are all examples of such actions.
Also Read: Abraham Maslow Quotes
Social Needs
Some of the things that people need in order to satisfy their social needs in Maslow’s hierarchy include:
Friendships – having friends to talk to and spend time with.
- Romantic attachments – being in a romantic relationship.
- Family – spending time with one’s family.
- Social groups – belonging to a group of people with shared interests or activities.
- Community groups – being part of a community group, such as a neighborhood watch or community garden.
- Churches and religious organizations – attending religious services and activities.
Society can be a lonely place for many people, and it’s important to make sure you’re not one of them. People with low self-esteem need acceptance from others just as much as those who have high levels of confidence in themselves.
This can be done in a variety of ways, such as spending time with friends and family, being involved in activities that they enjoy, or simply feeling valued and appreciated by those around them. No matter what method someone uses, it is important to find ways to feel connected to others.
Esteem Needs
The fourth level of Maslow’s hierarchy is the need for appreciation and respect. This need becomes increasingly important as the lower level needs have been satisfied. People at this level want to feel accomplished and prestigious, as well as have a sense of self-esteem and personal worth.
This desire includes feelings of pride and prestige as well as self-esteem and personal worth. At this point in Maslow’s hierarchy, people are also guided by a stronger sense of morality and responsibility. They take on new roles, such as being a good parent or contributing to the community.
We all have a desire to be valued and appreciated. We fulfill this need in different ways, from participating professionally or academically as well as enjoying personal hobbies like sports participation; it’s important for people not just feel like they are doing something but know that their efforts will pay off with recognized successes.
People who are able to satisfy esteem needs feel confident in their abilities and have good self-esteem. They receive the recognition of others, which allows them to feel satisfied. Conversely, people who lack self-esteem and the respect of others often feel inferior and lack confidence in their abilities.
Self-Actualization Needs
Self-actualizing people are at the top of Maslow’s hierarchy. They’re self aware, concerned with personal growth and interested in fulfilling their potential for success or achievement which brings them closer to being actualized selves.
“What a man can be, he must be,” Maslow explained.
According to Maslow’s definition of self-actualization, “It may be loosely described as the full use and exploitation of talents, capabilities, potentialities, etc. Such people seem to be fulfilling themselves and to be doing the best that they are capable of doing. They are people who have developed or are developing to the full stature of which they capable.”
How People Progress Through The Pyramid Of Needs
The pyramid of needs is a model that was first introduced by psychologist Abraham Maslow. It shows five levels of human needs, ranked from the most basic to the most advanced. The top level requires self-actualization—the fulfillment of one’s potential, deal with one’s inner conflicts, and search for truth to become a better person.
This final stage only applies to less than 3% of the population who are said to be “self-actualized.” The other four stages are achievable if people fulfill their lower level needs first. These include physiological (food/drink), safety/security (shelter) belongingness and love (family for adults for example), esteem (respect from others), which comes from being accomplished in work and developing your skills, confidence in the form of integrity to be true to yourself and not go along with whatever everyone else is doing just to be accepted.
The pyramid of needs was proposed after Abraham Maslow studied famous people including Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Frederick Douglass and Jane Addams to see what they had in common. During this process, he found that they all seemed to be self-actualized. The pyramid of needs shows the levels in which human beings are motivated by certain desires and these levels range from the lowest level which is basic necessities such as food and water to our highest need which is self actualization.
Criticisms Of Maslow’s Theory
Critics of Maslow’s theory argue that the need hierarchy is not supported by research. They claim that there is little evidence that the needs are in a hierarchical order, and even less evidence that the needs are ranked in the way Maslow proposed. Maslow’s theory has also been criticized for being too vague, considering that many of the needs are interconnected (e.g., belonging and esteem).
More controversial is Maslow’s contention that self-actualization is limited to 20% of the population. Many critics dispute evidence supporting this view; some even question whether it can be considered scientific (Newman, 2010).
Maslow’s theory has also been criticized for being too difficult to test. Some critics argue that his definition of self-actualization is not scientific enough to be tested. Additionally, Maslow’s research on self-actualization was based on a very limited sample of individuals. He only looked at people he knew personally and biographies of famous individuals.
Critics say that Maslow’s theory is not scientific because it is based on the belief systems of the Blackfoot nation. For example, one criticism of Maslow’s theory states that the “belief systems of the Blackfoot nation” inspired Maslow. This is because he gave lectures based on these beliefs to Native American tribes. One lecture given by tribal members influenced his pyramid of needs, which resulted in some misinterpretations.
Final Thoughts
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs has been a topic of debate for many years. Some people argue that the theory is not supported by research, while others claim that it is a powerful motivator of human behavior. What is clear, however, is that the Hierarchy of Needs has had a significant impact on psychology.
When it was first published, psychologists were primarily interested in abnormal behavior and development. Thus Maslow’s Hierarchy began the shift away from this perspective and towards a focus on healthy individuals. This perspective remains prevalent in psychology today.
Even though there is only limited research supporting Maslow’s theory, its ideas are well-known by both psychologists and non-psychologists alike. This hierarchy of needs is perhaps best described as a popular and influential theory.