Abraham Maslow » Hierarchy Needs
Maslow's primary contribution to psychology is his "Hierarchy of Human
Needs", which he often presented as a pyramid, with self-actualization
at the top as the highest of those needs. The base of the pyramid is the
physiological needs, which are necessary for survival. Once these are
taken care of, an individual can concentrate on the second layer, the
need for safety and security. The third layer is the need for love and
belonging, followed by the need for esteem. Finally, self-actualization
forms the apex of the pyramid.
In this scheme, the first four layers are what Maslow called "Deficiency Needs or D-needs." If they are not filled, you feel anxiety and attempt
to fill them. If they are filled, you feel nothing; you feel only the
lack. Each layer also takes precedence over the layer above it; you do
not feel the lack of safety and security until your physiological needs
are taken care of, for example. In Maslow's terminology, a need does not
become salient until the needs below it are met.
Needs beyond the D-needs are "Growth Needs", "Being Values"
or "B-needs". When fulfilled, they do not go away, rather, they motivate
further. He outlines about 14 of these values or B-needs, including beauty,
meaning, truth, wholeness, justice, order, simplicity, richness, etc.
|