Maslow's Hierarchy of Wants and Needs
Categories: Financial Theory, Education
Perhaps no other psychological theory has affected the public mind as much as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Wants and Needs.
Abraham Maslow came up with this theory in the 1940s as a way to organize ideas about how humans are motivated. His hierarchy has been used in psychology, sociology, and management, providing a framework for what makes people tick. And tock. Usually, it's shown in a pyramid-shaped image with basic needs at the bottom, and higher-level motivating factors at the top.
The pyramid shape isn’t like our food pyramid, reflecting the amounts of things we need. Instead, think of Maslow’s hierarchy as a pyramid that’s meant to be climbed. Maslow’s original theory was that a person must be satisfied with the factors at one level within themselves before they could be motivated by factors at the next level.
More modern interpretations show the five levels as overlapping, implying that lower levels might be prioritized again down the road, even if someone is higher up on the pyramid in general.
We’re going to talk about Bob’s journey through Maslow’s theory. Bob could be you, your mom, your friend, or that stranger you just passed on the street. Deep inside, everyone is Bob.
At the base of the pyramid, we’ve got “physiological needs,” which include things like food, water, rest, HBO, and the ability to live in the environment in general. Here, the idea is that it’s hard to motivate Bob with something like "prestige" when he’s too busy trying to meet basic physiological needs so that he can stay alive. Bob’s got bigger things to worry about right now if he’s homeless, foodless, and pantless.
Once Bob’s got the basics of staying alive down, he can move up to the “safety” motivation level, which says Bob can then be motivated by things that give him security (think: physical safety, financial security, health). It makes sense that once Bob’s got his food, water, and things he needs to live, he’ll seek out security so that he can keep those things under lock, and keep living. Basic mortality avoidance.
At this point, Bob’s fed, rested, and not stressing out too much, because his survival instincts took a chill pill thanks to his safety measures: a good job, place to live, and maybe wearing a bike helmet occasionally. And pants...don’t forget the pants.
Finally, Bob can start looking outward into the world. The third level of the hierarchy is “love and belonging”: the human need for closeness with others.
In other words: nothing will motivate Bob more at this point than making friends and taking the single’s bar by storm. Bob makes friends at work and manages to snag a girlfriend. Nice work, Bob.
Bob’s now capable of being motivated by things at level four: his “self-esteem.” Bob will be motivated by things that give him confidence and a sense of accomplishment. For Bob, maybe a nice car makes him feel confident. Or maybe Bob doesn’t care for a nice car, but he’s really into his career, working his way up the corporate ladder. Whatever Bob’s values are, he can be motivated by things that fulfill them.
Now that Bob’s taken care of his basic needs and his psychological needs, he has time to focus on himself again...but in a “higher” way. At the top of the pyramid (the “big boss” of the video game that is Bob’s life) we’ve got “self-actualization.” Self-actualization is when Bob fulfills his utmost potential. If Bob is motivated at this level, it means Bob wants to be the best Bob he can be. For Bob, this might have to do with fulfilling creative passions, using his talents, finding a life partner, and raising tiny-Bobs.
After publishing his theory, Maslow later criticized his own initial description of “self-actualization,” and changed it to be more like becoming “enlightened.” This would mean Bob thinks about the meaning of life, spirituality, morality, the universe, and sees prejudice for what it is: a fear-based, ego-boosting, mean-thing. Bob becomes a true wise guy.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Wants and Needs does have its fair share of critics. For instance, some believe that people can be motivated by needs and wants higher up on the pyramid even if they haven’t satisfied all the ones on the bottom first.
Others have pointed out that Maslow only studied “healthy specimens,” and not the population at large, so there could be some bias there. Some have argued that Maslow’s hierarchy only works for people in individualistic societies, and not so much for people in collectivist societies, where priorities and values are different. Plus, these needs might also be different depending on Bob’s age.
The final kicker? Maybe Maslow’s pyramid doesn't cover only “human” needs, and can be applied to most animals in general. While Maslow insisted that his motivation theory needed to be people-centric and not animal-centric, he was a man of his time. Today, we know more than ever before about how other species live and communicate. The more we learn, the more Maslow’s hierarchy seems to apply to them just as much as it does to us, especially for the first four of the five levels.
So...could Maslow have come up with a better theory? Well, yeah, maybe he could have...if he’d been more motivated. Ah, the sweet, sweet irony.
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and finance Allah shmoop What is Maslow's hierarchy of wants
and needs Perhaps no other psychological theory has affected the
public mind as muchas Maslow's hierarchy of wants and needs
Seriously though Abraham Maslow came up with this theory in
the nineteen forties away to organize ideas about how humans
are motivated in the field of developmental psychology with what
makes them tick What makes them want Maazel's hierarchy of
wants and needs been used in psychology sociology and management
providing kind of a framework for this old people taking
things Usually Maslow's hierarchy of needs is shown in a
pyramid shaped image with the basic needs of the bottom
and higher level Motivating factors up here at the top
of the pyramid shape isn't like ours Food pyramid reflecting
the amounts of things we need you know to survive
Instead think of Maslow's hierarchy of needs as a pyramid
that's meant to be climbed Maslow's original theory was that
a person must be satisfied with the factors at one
level within themselves before they could be motivated by factors
at the next level Well Mohr modern interpretations show the
five levels as overlapping their blurred implying that lower levels
might be prioritized again down the road even if someone
is you know higher up on the pyramid in general
we're going to talk about Bob's journey here through Maslow's
theories Bob could be you your mom your friend or
that stranger you just passed on the street Yeah deep
inside everyone is Bob the base of the pyramid We've
got physiological needs which includes things like food water rest
shelter and the ability to you know live in the
environment in general Well here The idea is that it's
hard to motivate Bob with something like prestige when he's
too busy trying to meet basic physiological needs so that
he can you know just stay alive Bob's got bigger
things to worry about right now If he's homeless food
lists and you know pantless alright well once Bob's got
the basics of staying alive down he can move up
to the safety motivation level up here which says that
Bob can then be motivated by things that give him
security like think physical safety financial security health You know
those things make sense that once Bob's got his food
water in things that he needs to live seek out
security so that he can keep those things under lock
and key and you know keep on keeping on basic
mortality avoidance At this point Bob's Fed rested and not
stressing out so much because survival instincts took a chill
pill thanks to his safety measures Good job you know
a place to live maybe wearing a bike helmet Occasionally
you go bob pants Don't forget the pain's bob Finally
Hopkins start looking outward into the world The third level
of hierarchy here It's love and belonging right The human
needs for closeness with one another In other words nothing
will motivate Bob more at this point than making friends
taking the singles bar by storm pay Well Bob made
friends at work and managed to snag a girlfriend Honestly
Nice Bob Bob's now capable of being motivated by things
that level for his self esteem Bob will be motivated
by things that give him confidence in a sense of
accomplishment Well for Bob maybe a nice car makes him
feel confident Or maybe Bob doesn't care for a nice
car but he's really into his career working his way
up the quote prestigious unquote corporate ladder Whatever Bob's values
are well he can be motivated by things that can
fulfill them making him feel Fly fly Bob Fly right
Well now that Bob's taking care of his basic needs
in his physiological needs well he has time to fight
focus on himself again But in a you know higher
way Well at the top of the Pyramid the big
boss of the video game that is Bob's Life Well
we've got self actualization right there Self actualization is when
Bob feels his utmost potential If Bob's motivated at this
level while that means Bob wants to be the best
Bob he can be well for Bob This might have
to do with fulfilling creative passions using his talent finding
a you know life partner and raising Tiny Bob Yeah
that'LL do it After publishing his theory Mass Low later
criticized his own initial description of self actualization And while
he changed it to be more like becoming enlightened or
something like that would mean that Bob things about meaning
of life things about spirituality morality the universe and seize
prejudice for what it is a fear based ego boosting
mean girl thing Bob becomes a true wiseguy Astle's hierarchy
of wants and needs does have its fair share of
critics It's not accepted by everyone Some believe that people
can be motivated by needs and wants higher up on
the pyramid even if they haven't satisfied all the ones
on the bottom first Others have pointed out mass low
on ly studied healthy specimens not the population at large
So there could be some bias there some bargain The
Massa lt's hierarchy only works for people in individualistic societies
and not so much for people in collectivist societies Help
priorities and values are different Plus these needs might also
be a different depending on Bob's age Right The final
kicker maybe Massa lt's pyramid isn't really human Needs can
be applied to most animals in general Massell insisted that
this motivation theory needed to be people center cannot animal
centric He was a man of his time Today we
know more than ever before about how the other species
live and communicate The more we learn the more mass
ALS hierarchy of wants and needs seems to apply to
them just as much as it does for us especially
for the first four five levels So could mass low
have come up with a better theory Well yeah Maybe
he could have if he'd been more motivated The sweet 00:05:40.087 --> [endTime] sweet irony Oh no