MASLOW'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

from Psychology - The Search for Understanding

by Janet A. Simons, Donald B. Irwin and Beerly A. Drinnien
!est P"blishing #om$any, %ew &or', ()*+
Abraham ,aslow deelo$ed a theory of $ersonality that has infl"enced a n"mber of different
fields, incl"ding ed"cation. This wide infl"ence is d"e in $art to the high leel of $racticality of
,aslow-s theory. This theory acc"rately describes many realities of $ersonal e.$eriences. ,any
$eo$le find they can "nderstand what ,aslow says. They can recogni/e some feat"res of their
e.$erience or behaior which is tr"e and identifiable b"t which they hae neer $"t into words.
,aslow is a h"manistic $sychologist. 0"manists do not beliee that h"man beings are $"shed
and $"lled by mechanical forces, either of stim"li and reinforcements 1behaiorism2 or of
"nconscio"s instinct"al im$"lses 1$sychoanalysis2. 0"manists foc"s "$on $otentials. They
beliee that h"mans strie for an "$$er leel of ca$abilities. 0"mans see' the frontiers of
creatiity, the highest reaches of conscio"sness and wisdom. This has been labeled 3f"lly
f"nctioning $erson3, 3healthy $ersonality3, or as ,aslow calls this leel, 3self-act"ali/ing
$erson.3
,aslow has set "$ a hierarchic theory of needs. All of his basic needs are instinctoid, e4"ialent
of instincts in animals. 0"mans start with a ery wea' dis$osition that is then fashioned f"lly as
the $erson grows. If the enironment is right, $eo$le will grow straight and bea"tif"l, act"ali/ing
the $otentials they hae inherited. If the enironment is not 3right3 1and mostly it is not2 they will
not grow tall and straight and bea"tif"l.
,aslow has set "$ a hierarchy of fie leels of basic needs. Beyond these needs, higher leels of
needs e.ist. These incl"de needs for "nderstanding, esthetic a$$reciation and $"rely s$irit"al
needs. In the leels of the fie basic needs, the $erson does not feel the second need "ntil the
demands of the first hae been satisfied, nor the third "ntil the second has been satisfied, and so
on. ,aslow-s basic needs are as follows5
Physiological Needs
These are biological needs. They consist of needs for o.ygen, food, water, and a
relatiely constant body tem$erat"re. They are the strongest needs beca"se if a $erson
were de$ried of all needs, the $hysiological ones wo"ld come first in the $erson-s search
for satisfaction.
Safety Needs
!hen all $hysiological needs are satisfied and are no longer controlling tho"ghts and
behaiors, the needs for sec"rity can become actie. Ad"lts hae little awareness of their
sec"rity needs e.ce$t in times of emergency or $eriods of disorgani/ation in the social
str"ct"re 1s"ch as wides$read rioting2. #hildren often dis$lay the signs of insec"rity and
the need to be safe.
Needs of Love, Affection and Belongingness
!hen the needs for safety and for $hysiological well-being are satisfied, the ne.t class of
needs for loe, affection and belongingness can emerge. ,aslow states that $eo$le see'
to oercome feelings of loneliness and alienation. This inoles both giing and
receiing loe, affection and the sense of belonging.
Needs for Esteem
!hen the first three classes of needs are satisfied, the needs for esteem can become
dominant. These inole needs for both self-esteem and for the esteem a $erson gets from
others. 0"mans hae a need for a stable, firmly based, high leel of self-res$ect, and
res$ect from others. !hen these needs are satisfied, the $erson feels self-confident and
al"able as a $erson in the world. !hen these needs are fr"strated, the $erson feels
inferior, wea', hel$less and worthless.
Needs for Self-Actualization
!hen all of the foregoing needs are satisfied, then and only then are the needs for self-
act"ali/ation actiated. ,aslow describes self-act"ali/ation as a $erson-s need to be and
do that which the $erson was 3born to do.3 3A m"sician m"st ma'e m"sic, an artist m"st
$aint, and a $oet m"st write.3 These needs ma'e themseles felt in signs of restlessness.
The $erson feels on edge, tense, lac'ing something, in short, restless. If a $erson is
h"ngry, "nsafe, not loed or acce$ted, or lac'ing self-esteem, it is ery easy to 'now
what the $erson is restless abo"t. It is not always clear what a $erson wants when there is
a need for self-act"ali/ation.
The hierarchic theory is often re$resented as a $yramid, with the larger, lower leels re$resenting
the lower needs, and the "$$er $oint re$resenting the need for self-act"ali/ation. ,aslow
beliees that the only reason that $eo$le wo"ld not moe well in direction of self-act"ali/ation is
beca"se of hindrances $laced in their way by society. 0e states that ed"cation is one of these
hindrances. 0e recommends ways ed"cation can switch from its "s"al $erson-st"nting tactics to
$erson-growing a$$roaches. ,aslow states that ed"cators sho"ld res$ond to the $otential an
indiid"al has for growing into a self-act"ali/ing $erson of his6her own 'ind. Ten $oints that
ed"cators sho"ld address are listed5
(. !e sho"ld teach $eo$le to be authentic, to be aware of their inner seles and to hear their
inner-feeling oices.
7. !e sho"ld teach $eo$le to transcend their cultural conditioning and become world
citi/ens.
8. !e sho"ld hel$ $eo$le discover their vocation in life, their calling, fate or destiny. This is
es$ecially foc"sed on finding the right career and the right mate.
9. !e sho"ld teach $eo$le that life is precious, that there is :oy to be e.$erienced in life, and
if $eo$le are o$en to seeing the good and :oyo"s in all 'inds of sit"ations, it ma'es life
worth liing.
;. !e m"st accept the person as he or she is and hel$ the $erson learn their inner nat"re.
<rom real 'nowledge of a$tit"des and limitations we can 'now what to b"ild "$on, what
$otentials are really there.
=. !e m"st see that the $erson-s basic needs are satisfied. This incl"des safety,
belongingness, and esteem needs.
+. !e sho"ld refreshen consciousness, teaching the $erson to a$$reciate bea"ty and the
other good things in nat"re and in liing.
*. !e sho"ld teach $eo$le that controls are good, and com$lete abandon is bad. It ta'es
control to im$roe the 4"ality of life in all areas.
). !e sho"ld teach $eo$le to transcend the trifling $roblems and grapple with the serious
problems in life. These incl"de the $roblems of in:"stice, of $ain, s"ffering, and death.
(>. !e m"st teach $eo$le to be good choosers. They m"st be gien $ractice in ma'ing good
choices.