Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

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Summary

Abraham Maslow’s theory of needs proposes that humans have a hierarchy of needs, including physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization needs. Maslow’s humanistic approach ranks these needs, with the most essential at the bottom of the pyramid and the least essential at the top. The theory suggests that humans can achieve perfection by following this hierarchy, with the average human reaching their maximum potential. Maslow’s pyramid image is an excellent representation of human life, with individuals having their approaches to satisfy their needs. For survival, humans must complete their physiological and safety needs. The love/belonging need can be satisfied through various ways, and the esteem need can be satisfied through achievements and confidence boosters. Lastly, the self-actualization need involves creativity and problem-solving, which can be satisfied through everyday life experiences. While Maslow’s theory is accurate, not all humans can achieve their maximal potential due to external factors.

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The theory of needs by Abraham Maslow is a psychology theory that humans have a hierarchy for both physical and emotional needs in the following order: Physiological (food and water), Safety (employment, property and health), Love/belonging (friendship, family and sexual intimacy), Esteem (friendship, family and sexual intimacy) and Self- actualization (morality, creativity, problem solving and lack of prejudice).

Maslow’s psychological approach to his theory was the humanistic approach, because he ranks out all human needs from most-essential (bottom of pyramid) to least essential (top of pyramid). Maslow’s theory views the average human achieving perfection. If the human follows his hierarchy of needs in a bottom to top fashion which figuratively speaking is an accurate of the way of life, due to most humans start from the bottom when they are brought in to the world and then thrive to reach their maximum potential later on in life. Maslow incorporates a pyramid image of our needs, in his designed theory.

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This is an excellent representation of the human life, because certain members of society are equipped with the ability to keep on growing physically and emotionally throughout our years of life until we reach our goal, which is portrayed as the top of the pyramid. As individuals we all have our own approaches on how we satisfy our needs. But speaking in a general/personal fashion, we humans must complete all of our physiological needs and safety needs for survival in Canada, because without food, water, breathing and property one wouldn’t last a week in a Canadian winter.

The third level to Maslow’s pyramid is Love/belonging; there are various ways to satisfy these needs. Personally, I am fortunate enough to have caring individuals surround me, that help myself achieve the satisfaction in this stage by doing various action of love throughout my daily life. The fourth level to Maslow’s pyramid is Esteem which could be satisfied through achievements or confidence boosters. Personally, I become satisfied with this need by receiving compliments, getting a good mark on a test and winning games in sports.

Lastly, is the need of self-actualization which personally I feel I am still a too young to be involved in frequent situations where I can satisfy most these needs. But over the course of my life I have touched upon some subjects. Such as creativity and problem solving, personally I satisfy these needs through high school and my everyday life. Every day I am faced upon situations where I need to think clearly and critically of my actions through problem solving.

Times where I satisfy my needs of creativity are where I am asked by my schooling to create a piece of my own through either design classes or sciences. Therefore, Abraham Maslow’s theory of needs is a very accurate and well thought theory and I believe if all goes right along the way and with the right amount of motivation the average human has, he or she can achieve their maximal potential and complete this pyramid thoroughly. But unfortunately in the world we live not all do.

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