Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs By: Casey Lynott

What is Maslow Hierarchy of Needs? • Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a hierarchy that shows how people will react in the absence of things that we need for sustenance. • The Hierarchy has five parts and they include: • Physiological Needs • Safety and Security Needs • Love and Belonging Needs • Self-Esteem Needs • Self Actualization Needs • Maslow says that in order to move on to the next level of needs you must first satisfy the level prior to that. • For example you can not take care of Self-Esteem needs before you take care of physiological needs.

Example of Maslow’s Hierarchy • One example is if someone does not have food or water (physiological need) then this person will not be able to move on to finding love, and maintaining friendships (love and belonging needs) • Another example is if someone does not feel secure in their home environment (safety and security needs) then they will not have a good sense of personal accomplishment (self-esteem needs)

Learning Objectives • After today’s presentation you will be able to: • Define Maslow’s Hierarchy. • Give examples of Maslow’s Hierarchy at work. • Understand why Maslow’s Hierarchy is important. • How Maslow’s Hierarchy has effected you in your life.

Activity • Please take out a piece of paper and write down whatever you know about Maslow’s Hierarchy before this presentation. • This can include: • If you’ve heard it used in a class. • What Maslow’s Hierarchy is. • Examples of Maslow’s Hierarchy you can think of. • Anything else pertaining to Maslow’s Hierarchy.

Maslow’s Hierarchy Explained • Maslow first introduced his Hierarchy of Needs in his 1943 paper “A Theory of Human Motivation” • This is a 5 leveled Hierarchy that suggests that people are more likely to fulfill basic survival needs before they move onto more complex needs. • Maslow believed that needs were broken up into two main areas and they are deficiency needs and growth needs. • He also believed that these needs play a major role in predicting human behavior.

Image of Maslow’s Hierarchy • Maslow’s Hierarchy is a pyramid structure that looks like this:

Physiological Needs • These are the most basic of all needs. • They include things like food, air, water, and sleep. • Without these things we would not be able to function as human beings, so until we fulfill these we cannot move on to other needs. • These needs are instinctual and we would work to fulfill these out of instinct without anyone teaching us.

Safety and Security Needs • These needs are important for survival, but not quite as crucial as the psychological needs. • These needs include things like steady employment, health care, safe neighborhoods, and personal safety. • Basically, we can live without these, but we are more comfortable when these needs are fulfilled.

Love and Belonging Needs • These are needs that help increase feelings of love and belonging. • These include relationships, family, love, intimacy, and a sense of connection. • These needs again are important, but are not critical for human survival.

Self-Esteem Needs • These needs help increase feelings of self worth. • These needs are not critical for survival, but they help humans feel good about themselves. • These needs include personal worth, social recognition, and accomplishment.

Deficiency Needs vs. Being Needs • The first four needs are Deficiency Needs. This means that they are needs that arise due to a lack of them • For example, if you do not have food or water you are going to have a physiological need. • The last need, Self-Actualization is a Being Need, or a need that arises because of an intrinsic want to do better.

Self Actualization: Basics • Self-Actualizing means experiencing life more fully and more vividly with full concentration and total absorption. • This cannot be fulfilled until you have fulfilled all of your deficiency needs so it is important to fulfill the lower needs in order to self-actualize. • Self-Actualization does not mean that the person is perfect it just means that they have accepted their failings and can live with them.

The Self-Actualized Person • Self-Actualization is the process of fulfilling human potential. • There is no true measure of Self-Actualization. • Maslow believed that only 2 percent of people will self actualize.

Let’s Take a Quiz! • Question 1: • What is the first level of Maslow’s Hierarchy? • A) Self-Actualization Needs • B) Physiological Needs • C) Love and Belonging Needs • D) None of the Above

Let’s Take a Quiz! • Question 2: • What percent of people will self-actualize? • A) 5 • B) 100 • C) 7 • D) 2 • E) 3

Let’s Take a Quiz! • Question 3: • An example of a physiological need is: • A) Water • B) Intimacy • C) Love • D) Healthcare

Let’s Take a Quiz! • Question 4: • Love and Belonging Needs is the _ level of Maslow’s Hierarchy: • A) 1st • B) 2nd • C) 3rd • D) 4th • E) 5th

Let’s Take a Quiz! • Question 5: • True/False: You can self-actualize before meeting any other needs. • A) True • B) False

Answers • 1) B • 2) C • 3) A • 4) C • 5) B

Maslow’s Hierarchy in your Life • Take out a sheet of paper and take a moment to write down some times when you believe that Maslow’s Hierarchy has effected you in your life.

Conclusion • I hope that you have enjoyed this presentation on Maslow’s Hierarchy. • Now you should have a knowledge of: • What Maslow’s Hierarchy is. • Example’s of Maslow’s Hierarchy. • Why it is important. • How it has effected you in your life.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs