Maslow's Need Hierarchy Theory

MASLOW’S NEED HIERARCHY THEORY

His theory was based on human needs. He felt that within every human being, there exists a hierarchy of five needs. These are:

1. Basic Physiological Needs: for survival in the hierarchy and include Hunger, Thirst, Shelter, and Sleep.
2. Safety/Security Needs: includes

• Physical security: includes protection against fire, accidents, disease, crime, etc.
• Economical security: includes having a permanent job and money to fulfill basic needs permanently.
• Social security: includes the need for security in old age, illness, disability, etc.

3. Affiliation/Belonging Needs: Refer to affection, a sense of belongingness; acceptance and friendship can be achieved through teamwork and social interaction.
4. Esteem Needs: desires of having self-respect and positive self-image and recognition, respect from others, etc. Can be achieved through good job titles, more challenging jobs, granting more authority
5. Self Actualization Needs: desire to be being everything one is capable of being can be achieved through giving challenging jobs, risky decisions, encouraging creativity

Assumptions:

1. People’s behavior is based on their needs. Satisfaction with such needs influences their behavior.
2. People’s needs are in hierarchical order, starting from basic needs to other higher-level needs.
3. A satisfied need can no longer be motivated a person; only the next higher level need can motivate him.
4. A person moves to the next higher level of the hierarchy only when the lower need is satisfied.