Maslow's Need Hierarchy
Created 2024 by Geoffrey W. Sutton
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid.
From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, the needs are:
Physiological Needs: These are biological requirements for human survival, such as air, food, drink, shelter, clothing, warmth, sex, and sleep.
Safety Needs: These include personal security, financial security, health and well-being, and safety nets against accidents/illness and their adverse impacts.
Love and Belongingness Needs: These involve emotional relationships including friendships, romantic attachments, and family.
Esteem Needs: These include self-esteem, recognition, status, and respect from others.
Self-Actualization Needs: This is the realization of personal potential, self-fulfillment, and seeking personal growth and peak experiences.
Maslow believed that these needs must be satisfied in order, starting from the bottom and working up.
Criticisms
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs has been widely influential, but it has also faced several criticisms over the years:
Lack of Empirical Evidence: Critics argue that Maslow's theory lacks rigorous scientific research and empirical evidence to support its claims. The theory is often considered more descriptive than predictive.
Cultural Bias: The hierarchy is seen as reflecting Western values and may not be universally applicable across different cultures. Some cultures may prioritize social needs over individual needs, for example.
Over-Simplification: The theory is criticized for oversimplifying human motivation and behavior by categorizing needs into a rigid hierarchy. In reality, human needs and motivations are more complex and fluid.
Sequential Assumption: Maslow's original theory suggests that lower-level needs must be fully satisfied before higher-level needs can be pursued. However, research has shown that these needs can overlap and be pursued simultaneously.
Neglect of Relationships: Some critics argue that the hierarchy undervalues the importance of relationships and social connections, which can be fundamental to human well-being at any stage.
Unscientific Methods: Maslow's conclusions were drawn from personal observations and biographical analyses, which are considered less reliable and unscientific by modern standards.
About Maslow
Abraham Harold Maslow (April 1, 1908 – June 8, 1970) was an American psychologist best known for creating Maslow's hierarchy of needs, a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling innate human needs in priority, culminating in self-actualization. Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish immigrant parents from Russia, Maslow spent much of his childhood in libraries, developing a love for reading and learning.
He initially studied law at the City College of New York but switched to psychology at the University of Wisconsin, where he earned his bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees. Maslow taught at Brooklyn College and later became a professor at Brandeis University, where he remained until 19693.
Maslow's humanistic approach to psychology emphasized the positive qualities in people and their potential for growth. His major works include Motivation and Personality (1954) and Toward a Psychology of Being (1962). He also introduced the concept of peak experiences, moments of highest happiness and fulfillment.
REFERENCES
Enright, R. D. (2018). Why Maslow’s self-actualization theory is not quite right. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-forgiving-life/201805/why-maslows-self-actualization-theory-is-not-quite-right
Geller, L. (1982). The failure of self-actualization theory. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 22(1), 64-72.
Maslow, A. H. (1954). Motivation and Personality. Harper & Row.
Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD is Emeritus Professor of Psychology. He retired from a clinical practice and was credentialed in clinical neuropsychology and psychopharmacology. His website is www.suttong.com
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