What motivates human beings to act and react the way they do? It’s a question that has been on the minds of people from time immemorial.
One of the most popular and widely accepted theories that sought to explain this was put forward by a renowned psychologist, Abraham Maslow. It suggested that humans are motivated by unsatisfied needs. Anything we do and any action we take is, in some way, fulfilling or satisfying a need.
Maslow first came up with the concept of the hierarchy of needs in 1943, in a paper titled “A Theory Of Human Motivation,“ which suggested that humans strive to fulfill their basic needs first, before moving on to further, more advanced needs.
These needs are most typically explained using a pyramid displaying five levels, with the lowest level comprising the most basic needs;the higher you go, the more complex the needs get.
The four lower levels make up psychological, physiological, or deficiency needs, while the higher levels are considered to be growth needs. According to Maslow, the lower-level needs need to be satisfied first, before the higher-level needs began to influence human behavior.
Let’s look at all these levels in a little more detail.
Physiological Needs—Level 1
Physiological needs are also called deficiency needs;they largely deal with themaintenance of the human body. They make up the lowest level or level 1 of the pyramid of needs, and include basic requirements that are vital for survival, like water, air, food, shelter, and sleep.
According to Maslow, these needs are embedded in our instincts, and all other needs come after this basic category is met. This is exemplified in the fact that when you need food, there is very little that matters to you at that moment apart from satisfying your hunger.
Safety And Security Needs—Level 2
We all want to feel safe and secure; it’s hardcoded in our system.
The second level of the pyramid of needs discusses the importance of the sense of safety. This involves having a place to live in, financial security, good health, and a safe and healthy environment.
If a person feels threatened or unsafe, they are most likely to seek safety before moving on to trying to meet needs at higher levels.
Social Needs—Level 3
We’re social animals;early humans survived and moved around as tribes—signaling that interacting and living among other humans is vital for our survival.
The third level of the pyramid of needs encompasses the need for belonging, feeling loved and appreciated, and building healthy, wholesome relationships.
Esteem Needs—Level 4
After lower-level physiological, safety, and social needs have been met, human beings have the environment to start looking inward. Once an individual realizes that they are loved and appreciated and belong to a loving community, they start to develop positive feelings toward themselves, satisfying their esteem needs.
Esteem generates a sense of pride, acceptance and positive spirit in individuals regarding themselves and their work.
These needs include self-esteem, self-respect, pride, confidence, and status.
Self-Actualization Needs—Level 5
What a man can be, he must be— Abraham Maslow
Placed at the apex of Maslow‘s Hierarchy, this level pertains to an individual realizing their full potential, and the desire to become everything that they are capable of becoming.
In order to grow to their full potential and reach level 5, Maslow statesthat a human being has to climb up the pyramid of needs step by step. However, sometimes, that is not possible. Depending on how each individual grows up, is raised, and the environment and situations they encounter, some needs may be overlooked, resulting in a range of psychological issues; for example, insecurities.
It is normal to have unmet needs, but it‘s important to fix them before they start influencing your life negatively. Most people, however, don’t know how to even begin. NIKU makes it easy to satisfy and fulfill your needs by reframing them. The app is available to download on both the Apple App Store and Google PlayStore.
