Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

The theory of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs was proposed by Abraham Maslow and is a theory of psychology. According to Abraham Maslow, an individual’s needs fall under five basic categories. The idea forms a five-tier model of human needs starting from physiological conditions in the bottom tier and rising with safety, love and belonging needs, esteem, and self-actualisation, creating the top level. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory states that humans are motivated to fulfil their needs starting from basic physiological needs like food, shelter, water, etc. The approach also says that people move to the higher needs in the hierarchy when they have sufficiently satisfied the previous requirement in the hierarchy. 

Five Categories of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory

According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, five categories indicating human needs are organised in a hierarchy. The hierarchy starts from the basic physiological needs to abstract concepts like self-actualisation and self-fulfilment. The Maslow theory of motivation is used to use the Maslow Pyramid to motivate team members and employees at a workplace. It helps people understand and identify specific needs and identify necessary actions required to fulfil the needs.

Here are five categories starting from the lower to topmost in the hierarchy

Physiological  

1. These refer to the basic human needs like food, shelter, water, sleep, warmth etc., necessary for survival. For example, when an individual is hungry, they need food, or when one is thirsty, one needs water to drink.
2. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the physiological need helps fulfil homeostasis in the body. 
3. If these needs are not fulfilled, the human body can’t function optimally and are essential at all steps.

Safety

1. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, once physiological needs are fulfilled, next in the hierarchy is meeting the safety needs. 
2. This involves personal, emotional, financial and health security. It is necessary both as a child and for adults. 
3. It is imperative for children to feel safe in an environment. For adults, insecurity arises when the safety needs are not fulfilled. 
4. An example, one’s financial safety needs can be fulfilled with job security, stable income, and emergency savings. 

Love and Belonging 

1. Once the safety need is fulfilled, the next in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is the need to feel loved and accepted. 
2. This involves a romantic relationship, a healthy set of friends and good family relations. It also includes the feeling of belonging to a social group.
3. For example, if a person is not happy in a marriage, it means they don’t feel loved and hence their need for love and belonging is not fulfilled.

Esteem

1. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, this comes 4th in the hierarchy: the need to feel good about oneself and have high self-esteem.
2. The first component includes self-confidence and feeling good with oneself and the second component includes feeling valued by others.
3. The Maslow theory of motivation states that when people’s esteem needs are met, it boosts confidence. When the contributions are valued, it makes one feel good, and when it is not valued, it makes one feel inferior. 

Self-actualisation 

1. This is the last hierarchy for Maslow’s hierarchy of needs which means feeling fulfilled and making a difference on a broader level.
2. It defines an individual’s goals and motives and its impact on many people or society.
3. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, self-actualisation is different for everyone, as it believes in a cause.
4. Once all the hierarchy is fulfilled, the whole process of self-actualisation comes.

Progressing through Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

According to Maslow, people progress through Maslow’s hierarchy of needs by order. Once a person has achieved a particular hierarchy, it becomes easy for an individual to attain another hierarchy level. An individual cannot jump to a higher hierarchy until the lower one is fulfilled. For example, if the physiological needs are not met, it is not possible to think about safety or love. Although Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is presented in the form of a hierarchy, Maslow also stated that people do not completely need to satisfy one need to move to the next hierarchy level. From a psychological point of view, Maslow also stated that one’s behaviour must meet two or more needs to become progressive about scaling through the hierarchy.

Conclusion 

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a psychological theory that explains human needs in a hierarchy. According to Maslow, people need to start fulfilling their needs from the bottom of the pyramid, which involves the first hierarchy level. The 1st hierarchy level includes physiological needs, which are the basic needs for survival like food, water, warmth, sleep, etc., and maintaining homeostasis. Likewise, as one scales up, they move through the hierarchy, which involves safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualisation. A person needs to fulfil the needs fully or partially through the hierarchy.