What is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a psychological theory proposed by Abraham Maslow in 1943.
The theory refers to people’s needs as a pyramid, with each level representing a different need.
From the bottom to the top are physiological needs, safety needs, the need for love and belonging, the need for self-esteem and, at the top, the need for self-actualization.
Physiological needs
At the lowest level of the pyramid are the most basic needs for survival, such as air, water, food and shelter.
To move to the next level, this need must be met.
Need for safety
Once the physiological needs are satisfied, the need for safety emerges.
This refers to personal security, such as employment, health and property.
Need for love and belonging
Once the safety need is satisfied, social needs emerge.
These refer to relationships and a sense of belonging, such as friendship, intimacy and family.
Self-esteem needs
At the top of the pyramid, the need for self-esteem refers to the desire to gain the respect of others.
Desire for self-actualization
At the top of the pyramid is the desire for self-actualization.
It means realising one’s potential.
Conclusion
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory suggests that higher-level needs will not emerge unless lower-level needs are sufficiently satisfied.
However, there are recent criticisms of a strict hierarchy, as it has been suggested that these needs may overlap and interact with each other and change.
Despite these criticisms, the model has been applied in a wide range of fields, including education, management and psychology.
Explanation with a Concrete Example!: From My Experience
Physiological and safety needs
I am fortunate to have my basic physiological needs met – adequate food and comfortable housing.
These foundations allow me to live in the present with a sense of security and stability.
The need for love and belonging
Living with my family gives me a sense of love and belonging.
This living environment fosters deep connections, provides emotional stability and enables me to pursue my goals.
Self-esteem and self-actualization
Currently, I am dedicated to my postgraduate studies and such research activities will be recognized by society.
Through this activity, my expertise will grow and my self-esteem needs will be fulfilled.
And every day I am deepening my knowledge towards my self-realization of eventually becoming a marketing specialist.
Every day I am in the process of realizing the self I want to be, which means that those lower needs are being fulfilled.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 4.0. Additionally, the texts and images were generated using ChatGPT.