Maslow's Hierarchy of Need

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Key Takeaways
(a) 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.
(b) The five levels of the hierarchy are physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.
(c) Lower-level basic needs like food, water, and safety must be met first before higher needs can be fulfilled.
(d) Few people are believed to reach the level of self-actualization, but we can all have moments of peak experiences.
(e) The order of the levels is not completely fixed. For some, esteem outweighs love, while others may self-actualize despite poverty. Our behaviors are usually motivated by multiple needs simultaneously.
(f) Applications include workplace motivation, education, counseling, and nursing.

Psychological needs

Physiological needs are the base of the hierarchy. These needs are the biological component for human survival. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, physiological needs are factored into internal motivation. According to Maslow’s theory, humans are compelled to satisfy physiological needs first to pursue higher levels of intrinsic satisfaction. To advance higher-level needs in Maslow’s hierarchy, physiological needs must be met first. This means that if a person is struggling to meet their physiological needs, they are unwilling to seek safety, belonging, esteem, and self-actualization on their own.

Physiological needs include: (a) Air, (b) Water, (c) Food,  (d) Heat, (e) Clothes, (f) Urination, (g) Excretion, (h) Shelter, and (i) Sleep

Once a person’s physiological needs are satisfied, their safety needs take precedence and dominate behavior. In the absence of physical safety – due to war, natural disaster, family violencechildhood abuse, etc. and/or in the absence of economic safety – (due to an economic crisis and lack of work opportunities) these safety needs manifest themselves in ways such as a preference for job security, grievance procedures for protecting the individual from unilateral authority, savings accounts, insurance policies, disability accommodations, etc. This level is more likely to predominate in children as they generally have a greater need to feel safe – especially children who have disabilities. Adults are also impacted by this, typically in economic matters, “adults are not immune to the need of safety”. It includes shelter, job security, health, and safe environments. If a person does not feel safe in an environment, they will seek safety before attempting to meet any higher level of survival. This is why the “goal of consistently meeting the need for safety is to have stability in one’s life”, stability brings back the concept of homeostasis for humans which our bodies need.

Safety needs include: (a) Health, (b) Personal security, (c) Emotional security, and (d) Financial security

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