Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a theory in psychology proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper “A Theory of Human Motivation” and his subsequent book, “Motivation and Personality.” This theory presents a hierarchy of human needs and argues that as humans meet basic needs, they seek to satisfy successively higher needs that occupy a set hierarchy.
The hierarchy is typically depicted as a pyramid, with the most fundamental levels of needs at the bottom and the need for self-actualization at the top. The levels are:
-
Physiological Needs: These are biological requirements for human survival, such as air, food, drink, shelter, clothing, warmth, sex, and sleep. Maslow considered these needs the most basic and instinctual needs in the hierarchy because all needs become secondary until these physiological needs are met.
-
Safety Needs: Once an individual’s physiological needs are satisfied, the needs for security and safety become salient. People want to experience order, predictability, and control in their lives. These needs can be fulfilled by the family and society (e.g., police, schools, business, and medical care).
-
Love and Belongingness Needs: After physiological and safety needs are fulfilled, the third layer of human needs is social and involves feelings of belongingness. The need for interpersonal relationships motivates behavior. Examples include friendship, intimacy, trust, and acceptance, receiving and giving affection and love.
-
Esteem Needs: The fourth level in Maslow’s hierarchy is esteem. All humans have a need to feel respected; this includes the need to have self-esteem and self-respect. Esteem presents the typical human desire to be accepted and valued by others. People often engage in a profession or hobby to gain recognition. These activities give the person a sense of contribution or value.
-
Self-Actualization Needs: This is the highest level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Self-actualizing people are self-aware, concerned with personal growth, less concerned with the opinions of others, and interested fulfilling their potential.
Maslow’s theory has been widely influential in psychology, particularly in understanding human motivation, and has applications in numerous fields like education, business, and management. However, it’s also important to note that while Maslow’s hierarchy is popular in many circles, it has been critiqued and revised by later researchers for its methodology, lack of empirical support, and cultural bias.