Definition Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a theory of motivation and
personality developed by the psychologist Abraham H. Maslow (1908-1970).
Maslow’s hierarchy explains human behavior in terms of basic requirements
for survival and growth. These requirements, or needs, are arranged
according to their importance for survival and their power to motivate the individual. The most basic
physical requirements, such as food, water, or oxygen, constitute the lowest level of the need hierarchy.
These needs must be satisfied before other, higher needs become important to individuals. Needs at the
higher levels of the hierarchy are less oriented towards physical survival and more toward psychological
well-being and growth. These needs have less power to motivate persons, and they are more influenced
by formal education and life experiences. The resulting hierarchy of needs is often depicted as a
pyramid, with physical
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, illustration. (EPD Photos. Gale Group.)
survival needs located at the base of the pyramid and needs for self-
actualization located at the top. Description Maslow’s hierarchy specifies the
following levels:
Physiological needs: These are the basic requirements for human physical survival. They include such
essentials as food, water, shelter, oxygen, and sleep. When these needs are unmet, human beings will
focus on satisfying them and will ignore higher needs.
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Safety needs: Once the individual’s basic physical needs are met, his or her needs for safety emerge.
These include needs for a sense of security and predictability in the world. The person tries to maintain
the conditions that allow him or her to feel safe and avoid danger. Maslow
thought that inadequate fulfillment of these needs might explain neurotic
behavior and other emotional problems in some people.
Love and belonging needs: When the individual’s physiological and safety
needs are met, needs for love and belongingness emerge. These needs
include longings for an intimate relationship with another person as well as the need to belong to a
group and to feel accepted. Maslow emphasized that these needs involve both giving and receiving love.
Esteem needs: Esteem needs include both self-esteem and the esteem of others. Self-esteem is the
feeling that one is worthwhile, competent, and independent. The esteem of others involves the feeling
that other people respect and appreciate the person. Once the person has satisfied his or her basic
needs, concerns about worthiness emerge. The focus becomes not just surviving, but doing well
according to meaningful communal standards.
Self-actualization needs: These are the needs associated with realizing one’s full potential. As these
needs emerge, the person focuses on doing what he or she is meant to do in life—developing his or her
talents and abilities to their fullest extent.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a
theory
Contains 5 levels of needs
Physiological, safety, love and
belonging, esteem, and self-
actualization.
Other human needs
Maslow described other needs that did not fit into his hierarchy. These
included cognitive needs, such as curiosity and scientific interest, as well as
aesthetic needs, which include the need for beauty and order. As Maslow studied self-actualizing
individuals, he also discovered a range of needs that extend beyond self-actualization. He called these
needs transcendence needs or B-values. They refer to needs to contribute to human welfare and to find
higher meanings in life. Although transcendence needs are usually described as lying somewhere
beyond the need for self-actualization, these needs are not included in most formulations of Maslow’s
needs hierarchy.
While Maslow described human needs as a hierarchy, he allowed for some
departures from the strict order of his needs hierarchy. He stated that
lower needs must be reasonably well satisfied in order for the person to
focus on higher needs, but he noted that complete satisfaction of a given need may not be possible or
necessary. He indicated that most people would show a range of need satisfaction levels at any given
time. For example, a person might be 85% satisfied in the area of physiological needs, 60% satisfied in
the area of safety needs, 45% satisfied in the area of love and belonging-ness needs, and so on. Maslow
also noted situations in which lower needs might be ignored in favor of higher needs, as when an artist
sacrifices comfort and security in order to pursue aesthetic goals, or when a student postpones looking
for a romantic partner in order to earn high grades and get into a prestigious graduate program. Maslow
Maslow described needs that didn’t
fit into his triangle.
Human needs are a hieracrchy
