Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHierarchy of NeedsHow It WorksDifferent Types of NeedsCriticismsImpactThe Expanded Hierarchy of NeedsTake a Pop QuizFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Hierarchy of Needs
How It Works
Different Types of Needs
Criticisms
Impact
The Expanded Hierarchy of Needs
Take a Pop Quiz
Frequently Asked Questions
Close
Take the pop quiz at the end of the article to see how much you know about Maslow’s hierarchy.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory
Abraham Maslowfirst introduced the concept of a hierarchy of needs in his 1943 paper, titled “A Theory of Human Motivation,” and again in his subsequent book, “Motivation and Personality.” This hierarchy suggests that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other, more advanced needs.
While some of the existing schools of thought at the time—such aspsychoanalysisandbehaviorism—tended to focus on problematic behaviors, Maslow was more interested in learning about what makes people happy and what they do to achieve that aim.
As ahumanist, Maslow believed that people have an inborn desire to be self-actualized, that is, to be all they can be. To achieve this ultimate goal, however, a number of more basic needs must be met. This includes the need for food, safety, love, and self-esteem.
Maslow believed that these needs are similar to instincts and play a major role inmotivating behavior.There are five different levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, starting at the lowest level known as physiological needs.
1:43Click Play to Learn More About Maslow’s Pyramid
1:43
Click Play to Learn More About Maslow’s Pyramid
Physiological Needs
The physiological needs include those that are vital to survival. Some examples of physiological needs include:
In addition to the basic requirements of nutrition, air, and temperature regulation, physiological needs also include shelter and clothing. Maslow included sexual reproduction in this level of the hierarchy as well, since it is essential to the survival and propagation of the species.
Security and Safety Needs
At the second level of Maslow’s hierarchy, the needs start to become a bit more complex. At this level, the needs for security and safety become primary.
People want control and order in their lives. Some of the basic security and safety needs include:
Together, the safety and physiological levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs make up what is often referred to as “basic needs.”
Love and Belonging
The social needs in Maslow’s hierarchy includelove, acceptance, andbelonging. At this level, the need for emotional relationships drives human behavior. Some of the things that satisfy this need include:
Esteem Needs
At the fourth level in Maslow’s hierarchy is the need for appreciation andrespect. Once the needs at the bottom three levels have been satisfied, the esteem needs begin to play a more prominent role in motivating behavior.
At this level, it becomes increasingly important to gain the respect and appreciation of others. People have a need to accomplish things, then have their efforts recognized. In addition to the need for feelings of accomplishment and prestige, esteem needs include such things asself-esteemand personal worth.
Together, the esteem and social levels make up what is known as the “psychological needs” of the hierarchy.
Self-Actualization Needs
At the very peak of Maslow’s hierarchy are the self-actualization needs.Self-actualizingpeople are self-aware, concerned with personal growth, less concerned with the opinions of others, and interested in fulfilling their potential.
“What a man can be, he must be,” Maslow explained, referring to the need people have to achieve their full potential as human beings.
Maslow’s said of self-actualization: “It may be loosely described as the full use and exploitation of talents, capabilities, potentialities, etc. Such people seem to be fulfilling themselves and to be doing the best that they are capable of doing. They are people who have developed or are developing to the full stature of which they capable.”
Progressing Through the Pyramid of Needs
Joshua Seong / Verywell
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is often displayed as a pyramid. The lowest levels of the pyramid of needs are made up of the most basic needs while the most complex needs are at the top.
Once lower-level needs have been met, people can move on to the next level of needs. As people progress up the pyramid, needs become increasingly psychological and social.
At the top of the pyramid, the need for personal esteem and feelings of accomplishment take priority. LikeCarl Rogers, Maslow emphasized the importance of self-actualization, which is a process of growing and developing as a person in order to achieve individual potential.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can be separated into two types of needs: deficiency needs and growth needs.
While the theory is generally portrayed as a fairly rigid hierarchy, Maslow noted that the order in which these needs are fulfilled does not always follow this standard progression.
For example, he noted that for some individuals, the need for self-esteem is more important than the need for love. For others, the need forcreative fulfillmentmay supersede even the most basic needs.
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Criticisms of Maslow’s Theory
Impact of Maslow’s Hierarchy
Regardless of these criticisms, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs represented part of an important shift inpsychology. Rather than focusing on abnormal behavior and development, Maslow’s humanistic psychology was focused on the development of healthy individuals.
There has been relatively little research supporting Maslow’s theory, yet the hierarchy of needs is well-known and popular both in and out of psychology. And in a study published in 2011, researchers from the University of Illinois set out to put this hierarchy to the test.
What they discovered is that, while the fulfillment of the needs was strongly correlated withhappiness, people from cultures all over the world reported that self-actualization and social needs were important even when many of the most basic needs were unfulfilled.
Such results suggest that while these needs can be powerful motivators of human behavior, they do not necessarily take the hierarchical form that Maslow described.
In 1970, Maslow built upon his original hierarchy to include three additional needs at the top of his pyramid, for a total of eight:
Keep in Mind
Whether you accept Maslow’s hierarchy of needs or not, his theory shines a light on the many needs we have as human beings. And even if we don’t all place these needs in the same order, keeping them in mind when interacting with others can help make our interactions more caring and respectful.
Self-actualization is at the top of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This need refers to the desire to reach our full potential. According to Maslow, this need can only be met once all of the other needs are satisfied. Thus, it comes after physiological needs, safety needs, the need for love and belonging, and esteem needs.
Some criticize Maslow’s hierarchy of needs on the basis that our needs don’t always exist in a pyramid format, or that one need is more important than another. There’s also a concern that his idea of self-actualization cannot be tested. Others suggest that Maslow’s theory is weak because it was based on research that was misattributed or lost the original concept being studied.
There are five levels in Maslow’s pyramid. The bottom two levels are physiological needs and safety needs which, together, make up basic needs. Next are social and esteem needs—also referred to as psychological needs. Self-actualization needs are at the top level of Maslow’s pyramid. Someone who is self-actualized is said to be at (or in the pursuit of) their full potential.
9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lester D, Hvezda J, Sullivan S, Plourde R.Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and psychological health.J Gen Psychol. 1983;109(1):83-85. doi:10.1080/00221309.1983.9711513Taormina RJ, Gao JH.Maslow and the motivation hierarchy: Measuring satisfaction of the needs,Am J Psychol.2013;126(2):155-77. doi:10.5406/amerjpsyc.126.2.0155Wang JL, Zhang DJ, Jackson L.Influence of self-esteem, locus of control, and organizational climate on psychological empowerment in a sample of Chinese teachers.J App Soc Psychol. 2013;43(7):1428-1435. doi:10.1111/jasp.12099Noltemeyer A, James A, Bush K, Bergen D, Barrios V, Patton J.The relationship between deficiency needs and growth needs: The continuing investigation of Maslow’s theory.Child Youth Serv. 2021:42(1):24-42. doi:10.1080/0145935X.2020.1818558Wahba MA, Bridwell LG.Maslow reconsidered: A review of research on the need hierarchy theory.Organiz Behav Human Perform.1976;15:212–240.Agrawal KG, Sharma BR.Gratification, metamotivation, and Maslow.Vikalpa. 1977;2(4):265-72.Feigenbaum KD, Smith RA.Historical narratives: Abraham Maslow and Blackfoot interpretations.Humanistic Psychol. 2020;48(3):232-43. doi:10.1037/hum0000145Smith RA, Feigenbaum KD.Maslow’s intellectual betrayal of Ruth Benedict?.J Humanistic Psychol. 2012;53(3):307-21. doi:10.1177/0022167812469832Tay L, Diener E.Needs and subjective well-being around the world.J Pers Soc Psychol. 2011;101(2):354-65. doi:10.1037/a0023779Additional ReadingMaslow AH.A Theory of Human Motivation.Maslow AH.Motivation and Personality.
9 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lester D, Hvezda J, Sullivan S, Plourde R.Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and psychological health.J Gen Psychol. 1983;109(1):83-85. doi:10.1080/00221309.1983.9711513Taormina RJ, Gao JH.Maslow and the motivation hierarchy: Measuring satisfaction of the needs,Am J Psychol.2013;126(2):155-77. doi:10.5406/amerjpsyc.126.2.0155Wang JL, Zhang DJ, Jackson L.Influence of self-esteem, locus of control, and organizational climate on psychological empowerment in a sample of Chinese teachers.J App Soc Psychol. 2013;43(7):1428-1435. doi:10.1111/jasp.12099Noltemeyer A, James A, Bush K, Bergen D, Barrios V, Patton J.The relationship between deficiency needs and growth needs: The continuing investigation of Maslow’s theory.Child Youth Serv. 2021:42(1):24-42. doi:10.1080/0145935X.2020.1818558Wahba MA, Bridwell LG.Maslow reconsidered: A review of research on the need hierarchy theory.Organiz Behav Human Perform.1976;15:212–240.Agrawal KG, Sharma BR.Gratification, metamotivation, and Maslow.Vikalpa. 1977;2(4):265-72.Feigenbaum KD, Smith RA.Historical narratives: Abraham Maslow and Blackfoot interpretations.Humanistic Psychol. 2020;48(3):232-43. doi:10.1037/hum0000145Smith RA, Feigenbaum KD.Maslow’s intellectual betrayal of Ruth Benedict?.J Humanistic Psychol. 2012;53(3):307-21. doi:10.1177/0022167812469832Tay L, Diener E.Needs and subjective well-being around the world.J Pers Soc Psychol. 2011;101(2):354-65. doi:10.1037/a0023779Additional ReadingMaslow AH.A Theory of Human Motivation.Maslow AH.Motivation and Personality.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Lester D, Hvezda J, Sullivan S, Plourde R.Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and psychological health.J Gen Psychol. 1983;109(1):83-85. doi:10.1080/00221309.1983.9711513Taormina RJ, Gao JH.Maslow and the motivation hierarchy: Measuring satisfaction of the needs,Am J Psychol.2013;126(2):155-77. doi:10.5406/amerjpsyc.126.2.0155Wang JL, Zhang DJ, Jackson L.Influence of self-esteem, locus of control, and organizational climate on psychological empowerment in a sample of Chinese teachers.J App Soc Psychol. 2013;43(7):1428-1435. doi:10.1111/jasp.12099Noltemeyer A, James A, Bush K, Bergen D, Barrios V, Patton J.The relationship between deficiency needs and growth needs: The continuing investigation of Maslow’s theory.Child Youth Serv. 2021:42(1):24-42. doi:10.1080/0145935X.2020.1818558Wahba MA, Bridwell LG.Maslow reconsidered: A review of research on the need hierarchy theory.Organiz Behav Human Perform.1976;15:212–240.Agrawal KG, Sharma BR.Gratification, metamotivation, and Maslow.Vikalpa. 1977;2(4):265-72.Feigenbaum KD, Smith RA.Historical narratives: Abraham Maslow and Blackfoot interpretations.Humanistic Psychol. 2020;48(3):232-43. doi:10.1037/hum0000145Smith RA, Feigenbaum KD.Maslow’s intellectual betrayal of Ruth Benedict?.J Humanistic Psychol. 2012;53(3):307-21. doi:10.1177/0022167812469832Tay L, Diener E.Needs and subjective well-being around the world.J Pers Soc Psychol. 2011;101(2):354-65. doi:10.1037/a0023779
Lester D, Hvezda J, Sullivan S, Plourde R.Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and psychological health.J Gen Psychol. 1983;109(1):83-85. doi:10.1080/00221309.1983.9711513
Taormina RJ, Gao JH.Maslow and the motivation hierarchy: Measuring satisfaction of the needs,Am J Psychol.2013;126(2):155-77. doi:10.5406/amerjpsyc.126.2.0155
Wang JL, Zhang DJ, Jackson L.Influence of self-esteem, locus of control, and organizational climate on psychological empowerment in a sample of Chinese teachers.J App Soc Psychol. 2013;43(7):1428-1435. doi:10.1111/jasp.12099
Noltemeyer A, James A, Bush K, Bergen D, Barrios V, Patton J.The relationship between deficiency needs and growth needs: The continuing investigation of Maslow’s theory.Child Youth Serv. 2021:42(1):24-42. doi:10.1080/0145935X.2020.1818558
Wahba MA, Bridwell LG.Maslow reconsidered: A review of research on the need hierarchy theory.Organiz Behav Human Perform.1976;15:212–240.
Agrawal KG, Sharma BR.Gratification, metamotivation, and Maslow.Vikalpa. 1977;2(4):265-72.
Feigenbaum KD, Smith RA.Historical narratives: Abraham Maslow and Blackfoot interpretations.Humanistic Psychol. 2020;48(3):232-43. doi:10.1037/hum0000145
Smith RA, Feigenbaum KD.Maslow’s intellectual betrayal of Ruth Benedict?.J Humanistic Psychol. 2012;53(3):307-21. doi:10.1177/0022167812469832
Tay L, Diener E.Needs and subjective well-being around the world.J Pers Soc Psychol. 2011;101(2):354-65. doi:10.1037/a0023779
Maslow AH.A Theory of Human Motivation.Maslow AH.Motivation and Personality.
Maslow AH.A Theory of Human Motivation.
Maslow AH.Motivation and Personality.
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