Maslow's pyramid of physiological needs. A satisfied need no longer motivates. What's in practice?

Theory of human needs - Maslow's Pyramid of Human Needs

There are 5 basic human needs (according to A. Maslow’s theory):

• Physiological needs (food, water, warmth, shelter, sex, sleep, health, cleanliness).
• The need for safety and protection (including stability).
• The need for belonging to a social group, involvement and support. In this case we are talking about partner, family, friends, intimacy and affection.
• The need for respect and recognition (self-esteem, self-esteem, confidence, prestige, fame, recognition of merit).
• The need for self-expression (realization of one’s abilities and talents).

The pyramid of needs reflects one of the most popular and well-known theories of motivation - the theory of the hierarchy of needs.

Maslow distributed needs as they increase, explaining this construction by the fact that a person cannot experience high-level needs while he needs more primitive things. The basis is physiology (quenching hunger, thirst, sexual need, etc.). A step higher is the need for security, above it is the need for affection and love, as well as to belong to a social group. The next stage is the need for respect and approval, above which Maslow placed cognitive needs (thirst for knowledge, desire to perceive as much information as possible). Next comes the need for aesthetics (the desire to harmonize life, fill it with beauty and art). And finally, the last step of the pyramid, the highest, is the desire to reveal inner potential (this is self-actualization). It is important to note that each of the needs does not have to be satisfied completely - partial saturation is enough to move to the next stage.

As lower-lying needs are satisfied, higher-level needs become more and more relevant, but this does not mean that the place of the previous need is taken by a new one only when the previous one is fully satisfied.

At the base of this pyramid are the so-called basic needs. These are physiological needs and the need for safety.

Physiological: need for food, water, sexual satisfaction, etc. If for some reason it is impossible to satisfy them, a person can no longer think about anything and cannot move on to satisfying other, higher needs in the hierarchy. Probably everyone has experienced the feeling of extreme hunger, which prevents you from doing or even thinking about anything else. V. Frankl described this very eloquently in his book “Saying Yes to Life.” Psychologist in a concentration camp." About how people living in constant fear, anxiety for themselves and their loved ones, could not talk about anything else except food. They talked about food at any time during their vacation, but the work was very hard, they described the dishes that they had once prepared, and talked about the restaurants that they visited. One of the most important needs that guarantees life, the need for food, was not satisfied for them, and therefore declared itself constantly.

When physiological needs are satisfied, a person stops thinking about them, forgets for a while, until the body gives another sign. Then you can switch your attention to satisfying other needs. Of course, we learned to abstain and endure for a while. But only for a while, until the discomfort becomes very strong.

The next level of needs is the need for security.. It is very difficult to realize any of your plans, dreams, work, develop, without feeling safe. If this need is not satisfied, a person organizes all his activities (sometimes neglecting even physiological needs for some time) to make his life safer. A threat to security can be global cataclysms, war, disease, loss of property, housing, as well as the threat of dismissal from work. You can track how, during a period of social instability in the country, the level of general anxiety increases.

To maintain a sense of security, we are looking for any guarantees: insurance, work with a guaranteed social package, a car with modern technologies that provide passenger protection, we study legislation, hoping to receive protection from the state, etc.

The third and fourth stages belong to the zone of psychological needs. If we are not bothered by unsatisfied basic needs, or simply put, if we are not hungry, thirsty, sick, not in a war zone, and have a roof over our heads, we strive to satisfy psychological needs. These include: a sense of significance, belonging to a particular social system(family, community, team, social connections, communication, affection, etc.), the need for respect, for love. We create systems for this, communities, without which we cannot survive. We strive for love, respect, friendship, we strive to be members of a group, a team.

When these needs are not met, we acutely experience the absence of friends, family, partner, and children. What we most want is to be accepted, heard, understood. We are looking for how to fulfill such a need, sometimes neglecting basic needs, so great is the torment of experiencing loneliness.

Sects and criminal groups often exploit this need. Teenagers have a particularly strong desire to be in a group. And therefore, a teenager, often without thinking, obeys the rules and laws of the group he strives to join only in order not to be rejected by it.

The next step is the need for recognition, selfexpression, respect for others, recognition of one’s own worth, stable high self-esteem. It is important for us to occupy some significant social position. We want our strengths to be recognized, our competence to be appreciated, our skill to be noticed. This may include the desire to have a good reputation, status, fame and glory, superiority, etc.

And sometimes we ourselves should think about how much these needs are satisfied in our lives, for example, in percentage terms. And, if these numbers are less than the statistical averages cited by A. Maslow (85% physiological, 70% in safety, 50% in love, 40% in respect and 10% in self-actualization), then it’s probably worth thinking about what we can change in our lives.

It is more convenient for us, as sales specialists, to use a different classification, with the help of which we find out what needs potential clients have.

There are several basic needs that every person strives to satisfy throughout life. If one of the desires is satisfied, the person strives to satisfy the next need.

The need for survival. The survival instinct is the most powerful instinct of a human being. Every person wants to save his life, protect his family, friends, and compatriots from danger. Only after receiving a guarantee of survival does a person begin to think about satisfying other desires.

Need for security. Once a person receives guarantees of survival, he begins to think about the safety of every aspect of his life.

Financial security– every person is afraid of poverty and material losses and strives to overcome them. It is expressed in the desire to save and increase wealth.

Emotional safety necessary for a person to feel comfortable.

Physical Security– every person, to a certain level, needs food, warmth, shelter and clothing.

The need for security does not mean that a person needs an armored door. He may well want to purchase high-quality wallpaper that will serve him for a long time.

Need for comfort. As soon as a person reaches a minimum level of security and safety, he begins to strive for comfort. He invests a huge amount of time and money to create a cozy home environment and strives to create comfortable conditions at work. A person strives for comfort in any situation and chooses products that are convenient and easy to use.

Need for image. The client focuses on the attractiveness and prestige of the product.

Need for free time. People want to relax as much as possible and look for any opportunity to stop work and relax. The focus of most people is evenings, weekends and vacations. Leisure time activities play a central role in human behavior and decision making.

Need for love. People have an urgent need to build and maintain loving relationships. Everything a person does is aimed either at achieving love or at compensating for a lack of love. An adult personality is formed in the conditions of love received or not received in childhood. The desire to create reliable conditions for love is the main reason for human behavior.

The need for respect. A person strives to earn the respect of other people. The bulk of human activity is aimed at this. Loss of respect can be a significant cause of dissatisfaction, and obtaining a high-ranking position can be a greater incentive than money.

The need for self-realization. The highest desire of a person is the realization of the creative potential of the individual, his talents and abilities. A person's motivation is aimed at achieving whatever they are capable of achieving. Throughout his life, he strives to use the most talents and abilities. The need for self-realization can be stronger than all other motivations.

It is often mentioned in various textbooks on psychology and management. There is an opinion that Maslow did not create this pyramid. He only studied the biographies of the most successful people on the planet. Based on his observations, he was able to derive interesting patterns of human needs. We will return to this theory later. Now let’s take a closer look at what Maslow’s pyramid of human needs is. First, let's present a description of all its levels.

Physiological needs

They are the foundation of the pyramid in question. These needs are inherent in all living organisms on Earth. Their satisfaction is so necessary for a person for the reason that his chances of survival depend on it. For example, people cannot do without food, water, and oxygen. It is not surprising that many call such needs instinctive. However, if they are not satisfied, then there is no desire for higher goals. This is reflected in Maslow's pyramid. Physiological needs force people to work and spend the money they receive on food, clothing, and home improvement. It is unlikely that a person experiencing severe thirst or hunger will spend his last money on a theater ticket.

Desire for safety

Let's consider what Maslow's pyramid of needs includes at the second level. It's about the desire to be protected and achieve stability. An example is babies. Babies, whose awareness is still at a minimum level, after satisfying thirst and hunger, instinctively seek protection. And in most cases, only the warmth of the mother can calm them down. We can observe the same thing with adults. If a person does not have mental abnormalities, the desire to protect himself manifests itself in a rather mild form - he takes out insurance, installs reliable locks, etc.

Need for love, belonging

Maslow's pyramid also includes a third stage. It contains social needs, which manifest themselves in the fact that people strive to join a group and make friends. They want to be loved and, of course, to love. The social environment provides an excellent opportunity to feel important and benefit others. That is why most people strive to establish relationships with acquaintances, to find a partner not only to start a family, but also to do business, and even to discuss issues that interest them.

Desire to be recognized

If the previous need is fully satisfied, the impact of others on the individual is minimized. The desire for respect, prestige, and recognition of one’s own capabilities and talents comes to the fore. An individual becomes confident in his abilities only after he receives recognition from loved ones, colleagues, etc.

The need for spiritual enrichment

Has the person won the love and respect of others? In this case, he is more likely to realize his potential. Maslow's pyramid ends with the need for spiritual saturation. People at this stage strive for creativity, visiting museums, exhibitions, and theaters. Another characteristic feature of an individual who has managed to rise to the fifth stage is the search for the meaning of life, the struggle for justice and knowledge of the world around him. Maslow considered such needs to be the highest. Now let's look at two more alternative levels.

Stage six

People are naturally curious. Children begin to become familiar with the world around them, crawling anywhere and everywhere. They are especially interested in things hidden away. A. Maslow described the needs for understanding and knowledge as follows:

A phenomenon called curiosity is also observed in some higher animals. For example, monkeys, when they discover unfamiliar objects, try to take them apart into parts, stick their fingers into all possible crevices, etc. In such a situation, exploratory behavior is observed that is not associated with fear, the desire for comfort, or physiological needs.

In the history of mankind there are many examples of a selfless search for truth, which causes misunderstanding of society, persecution and even a threat to life.

All psychologically normal individuals strive for the inexplicable, mysterious, enigmatic. At the same time, concepts and phenomena that can be fully explained cause boredom.

The needs for knowledge and understanding in children are expressed more clearly than in adults. Moreover, such a desire does not develop as a result of external influence. It is a natural consequence of growing up.

When we begin to talk about cognition, we often forget that this process is not an absolute synonym for learning. As a result of incorrect interpretation, it is assessed only from the point of view of the result. At the same time, one forgets about those feelings that arise in the process of comprehension and insight. But a person is truly happy when he manages to touch the highest truth, even for a moment.

Stage seven. Aesthetic needs

Some individuals really need to receive aesthetic pleasure. If they find themselves surrounded by ugly things or people, they literally become ill. The most effective cure for all ailments for them is beauty. Currently, this need has been little studied. Here's what you can say about it:

Some people have strong creative potential. In this case, creative needs are dominant. Often they become even more important than physiological ones.

Individuals with heightened aesthetic needs are ready not only to endure torment and hardship, but also to die for the sake of their ideals and values.

Basic postulates of the theory

Each step of the pyramid represents one level of needs. More pronounced needs are lower, and less pronounced needs are higher. Without satisfying (at least partially) basic needs, it is extremely difficult to move up the pyramid. Above we examined all the steps in detail. To list them briefly, they are physiology, safety, sociality, recognition and cognition. Alternative levels are curiosity and aesthetics. They play no less a role in motivating an individual’s behavior.

It has already been mentioned that physiology is the basic step of the pyramid. According to Maslow, a person should ideally reach his or her highest level by about age fifty.

So who is the author?

Maslow's pyramid of needs, as is commonly believed, was built by the scientist himself. However, it is not. Abraham Maslow devoted his entire adult life to considering the issues of human self-realization. But the pyramid in the form familiar to us was not compiled by him. The hierarchy of needs in the form of a diagram was first published in the publication of the Pillar textbook. This happened in 1975, and Maslow passed away five years earlier.

Do satisfied needs motivate?

Maslow's pyramid is undoubtedly built on the basis of logical conclusions. However, modern researchers have come to the following conclusion: an urgent need is one that is not yet satisfied at the moment. Agree that well-fed people are unlikely to fight for an extra piece of bread. And a person who does not strive to communicate will avoid annoying interlocutors. Someone who does not need prestige will not bother to change his behavior and habits in order to satisfy a need that he, in fact, does not have.

What in practice?

According to most modern psychologists, no matter how structured Maslow’s pyramid of needs is (the figure is presented in the article), it is not easy for it to find practical application. Focusing on this scheme, one can slide into extremely inappropriate generalizations. If we ignore the statistics and look at each individual individually, the question arises as to whether we are so hopeless, for example, in conditions of prolonged malnutrition. And is it so unbearable for someone who is not recognized by others? Maslow's pyramid does not take into account the fact that many people achieve what they want because of unmet needs. What are unrequited feelings worth?

If Maslow's pyramid of needs is taken as the basis of reasoning, then it becomes completely incomprehensible how emaciated prisoners of concentration camps could successfully organize underground anti-fascist activities. Or how, for example, some brilliant writers and artists created in absolute poverty.

There is evidence that Maslow’s pyramid was criticized by the psychologist himself. Studying his later works, “Towards a Psychology of Being” (1962) and “The Farthest Limits of Human Nature” (1971, published posthumously), one can come across the author’s own thoughts that he advocates a serious revision of the concept of motivation and personality.

Opponents of the theory

Maslow’s pyramid of needs (see photo in the article) is often criticized by specialists at various levels. First of all, the expediency of the very idea of ​​hierarchy and the impossibility of individuals to satisfy all their needs once and forever are questioned. The most harsh criticism of Maslow's pyramid of needs (the pictures below reflect its essence) is as follows: “According to this psychologist, people are animals who want something all the time.”

Another reproach is the inability to apply this concept of the distribution of human needs in business and marketing. However, one can object here by recalling exactly why Abraham Maslow thought about the concept of motivation and personality. The pyramid of needs appeared because the author sought to find answers to questions that were not covered either in behaviorism or Freudianism. The theory developed by a scientist is not a technique, but rather a philosophy.

Advantages and disadvantages

Maslow's pyramid (examples of the five basic levels were given above) is not a simple classification of needs. It is assumed that human needs are subject to a certain hierarchy. Thus, basic and more elevated needs are distinguished. We pass through all levels, and the following law is observed: basic desires dominate. Needs of a higher level come to the surface and become motives for behavior in a situation when all lower ones are already satisfied.

It is important to take into account one feature. Thus, the forms of manifestation of needs in different people can differ radically. This also applies to the desire to be recognized and loved. For example, it is quite enough for one person to establish trusting relationships with children, while another will certainly strive to become an influential political figure. A similar range within a single need can be observed at any level of the pyramid. In order to avoid disappointment in life, you should listen to your desires, interpret them properly and try to satisfy them in the most adequate way.

Maslow's famous theory. Pyramid of needs in practice

The aspirations of individuals do not undergo transformation. The only thing that may be different is the ways to satisfy them. How to apply a scientist's theory in real life? Having considered the levels of Maslow's pyramid, a personnel manager can build the most effective motivational ladder in a particular situation. When it comes to finding a job, it’s important to first outline your own goals. Answer yourself the question of what you want to get from a certain position. What factors are important? By understanding your personal motives, you can avoid mistakes in choosing a company or even a profession.

Marketing

Maslow's pyramid of needs (its levels were briefly discussed above) is often used in this professional field. Some experienced marketers claim that, guided by the presented hierarchy of human aspirations, it is possible to identify what level of needs is served by a particular company. It is no secret that the activities of a particular company are directly dependent on the dynamics and state of the needs markets being satisfied. For example, when the economy is in crisis, consumer needs quickly fall to the lower levels of the well-known pyramid.

As for food needs, they are eternal. The same can be said about medical services. But the desire to follow fashion trends fades as income declines. The basic principle of strategic planning for any type of activity is the need to keep abreast of market needs. If there is a tendency for one of the needs to develop, it makes sense to tune in to service it.

As John Sheildrek noted, the levels of Maslow's pyramid of needs are only relevant to humans. It makes no sense to apply the postulates of this theory to large companies, since the behavior of organizations is particularly complex, and to analyze it one should be armed with other theoretical tools.

Planning

Maslow's conclusions about human needs, according to experts, can be useful in the process of drawing up long-term forecasts or plans. Taking into account the degree of satisfaction of the needs of different social groups, it is easier to predict which desires will be dominant in the long term (in a year, five or even more years). Based on the data obtained, specific services and products can be effectively developed and brought to market.

Theory of needs. Modern version

Are you convinced that children are the meaning of life? If the answer is yes, then you will undoubtedly be close to the idea of ​​​​the existence of an alternative pyramid of needs. In the course of scientific research, psychologists have found that caring for children, caring for them, teaching, feeding, and the like is a need located in the depths of the subconscious. Its satisfaction is considered a natural component of the human essence.

American psychologists have proposed their own version of the pyramid in question. As the researchers noted, although realization is undoubtedly a significant motive, it cannot be considered leading from the point of view of evolutionary theory. The vast majority of the actions listed by Maslow in his theory reflect basic biological needs based on obtaining status in order to attract a partner and subsequently continue one's own race. As one of the participants in the experiments, Douglas Kenrick, noted, among the fundamental aspirations of people, the main one is the desire to have offspring. That is why raising children can be considered the basic level in the modern pyramid of needs.

Conclusion

Aspirations largely determine people's behavior. To understand human nature, it is important to consider the needs of different levels. In this case, it will be possible to find an explanation for most people’s actions.

From this article you will learn:

• What is the essence of Maslow's pyramid of needs?
• How to correctly understand the hierarchy of needs theory
• Is Maslow's pyramid of needs applicable in marketing?
• What is an alternative to Maslow's pyramid of needs?

In the literature on the topic of psychology and management, one can very often find references to this theory about the hierarchy of human needs. There are assumptions that the author’s conclusions set out in it are based on the study of biographies of famous people who realized themselves in life and creative activity. As you probably already understood, we will talk about Maslow’s pyramid of needs.

The essence of Maslow's pyramid of needs

In his work “Motivation and Personality” (1954), Abraham Maslow suggested that innate human needs have a hierarchical structure, including five tiers. These are the following needs:

1. Physiological.

Their satisfaction is necessary in order to ensure survival and existence. Any living creature has its own physiological needs. Until the needs of this level are satisfied (for example, nutrition, sleep), a person will not be able to work or engage in other activities. For example, if he is very hungry, he will not be able to enjoy contemplating works of art, admire views of nature, be interested in the content of fiction, etc.

1. In safety.

A sense of security is necessary for people at any age. Babies feel protected by the presence of their mother nearby. Adults also strive to feel protected: they install good doors in their apartments with reliable locks, buy insurance, etc.

1. In love and belonging.

Maslow's pyramid of needs also includes social needs. It is important for a person to feel a sense of belonging to a group of people in order to feel useful and significant. This motivates him to make social contacts and interact with other individuals: he makes new acquaintances and looks for a life partner. A person needs to experience the feeling of love and be loved himself.

1. In recognition.

After the needs included in the previous tiers of the pyramid are satisfied (for love and for belonging to society), the individual has a desire to earn the respect of others, a desire for people significant to him to recognize his talents and skills. If these desires are realized, then he gains confidence in himself and his abilities.

1. In self-realization.

This is the level of spiritual needs: the desire for personal development and self-realization, the desire for creative activity, for the development of one’s talents and abilities. If the needs included in the previous tiers of the pyramid are satisfied, then at the fifth level a person begins to search for the meaning of existence and study the world around him, and can acquire new beliefs.

This is what Maslow’s pyramid of needs looks like in general, with examples of desires for each level of the hierarchy. Later, Abraham Maslow included two more tiers in it: cognitive abilities and aesthetic needs.

In its final form, the pyramid has 7 levels.

The scientist believed that needs at a higher level will appear if the needs at lower levels are satisfied. According to Maslow, this is very natural.

However, the researcher noted that this trend may have exceptions: for some people, self-realization is more important than attachments; for others, only the needs of the first levels of the pyramid will be significant, even if all of them seem to be satisfied. Maslow believed that such features are associated with the development of neurosis in a person or they are caused by unfavorable circumstances.

Hierarchy of needs theory

All of the above may lead the reader to incorrect conclusions. After all, one might think that the needs included in the higher tiers of the pyramid arise immediately after the needs of the previous levels are realized.

This may lead to the assumption that Maslow’s pyramid implies that the desires of each next stage appear only after all previous ones have been fully satisfied. However, it can be said that practically no modern person has 100% fulfilled basic needs.

To bring our understanding of hierarchy closer to reality, we should introduce the concept of “Measure of need satisfaction.” It is assumed that the needs included in the first tiers of the pyramid are always realized to a greater extent than those that are higher. This can be visually represented as follows (let’s take conventional figures): for example, the physiological needs of an ordinary citizen are satisfied by 85%, his need for security - by 70%, for love - by 50%, for recognition - by 40%, and for self-realization - on 10 %.

The measure of need satisfaction will give us a better understanding of how needs at higher levels arise after the desires located on the previous tiers of the pyramid (according to Maslow) are fulfilled. This is a gradual process, not sudden. The transition to all subsequent steps is smooth.

For example, the second need will not arise if the first is only 10% satisfied. However, if it is closed by 25%, the second need will appear by 5%. If 75% of the first need is realized, then the second will show itself at 50%.

Application of Maslow's pyramid of needs in marketing

Regarding the pyramid of needs, marketers often say that it is not applicable in practice. And indeed it is.

First. The fact is that this theory was not created by Maslow for marketing purposes. The scientist was interested in questions of human motivation, the answers to which were not provided by either Freud's teachings or behaviorism. Maslow's pyramid of needs theory is about motivation, but it is more philosophical than methodological. Every marketer, advertising or PR specialist should be familiar with it in order to have an idea of ​​the diversity of human needs and their complex interrelationship, but it cannot be considered a guide to action, since it was formed for completely different purposes.

Second. The task of a marketer is to motivate consumers to action and influence their decisions. The pyramid of needs theory focuses on human motivations, but not on their relationship to behavior. It is not suitable for marketers because it does not explain what motive determines this or that action, saying that it is impossible to understand motives by external manifestations, that a decision can be determined by several reasons.

The third reason why Maslow's pyramid of needs theory is not suitable for marketers is related to the sociocultural context: in the modern world, people's physiological needs and their need for safety are, by and large, fulfilled.

Therefore, it cannot be said that a product that helps in some way solve security issues will be more in demand than one that is needed to satisfy desires included in a higher level of the pyramid. For example, a detergent with an antibacterial effect (providing protection) will not be more desirable than a drink that is positioned as a product used in a friendly situation (that is, solving certain social problems).

When marketers tried to use the pyramid of needs in marketing, it didn't work. Which is not surprising, since this is a psychological theory that it is completely incorrect to try to use in areas for which it was not created. It turns out that criticism of Maslow’s pyramid regarding the fact that it is ineffective in marketing is completely inappropriate, since its goals and objectives were initially completely different.

Maslow's pyramid

Maslow's pyramid is a special diagram in which all human needs are presented in a hierarchical order. However, none of the scientist’s publications contains any schematic images, because he was of the opinion that this order is dynamic in nature and can change depending on the personality characteristics of each individual person.

The first mentions of the pyramid of needs can be found in German-language literature of the 70s of the 20th century. They can still be found in many educational materials on psychology and marketing today. The needs model itself is actively used in economics and is of great importance for the theory of motivation and consumer behavior.

It is also interesting that there is a widespread opinion that Maslow himself did not create the pyramid, but only identified general features in the formation of the needs of people who are successful in life and creative activity. And the pyramid was invented by his followers, who sought to clearly present the scientist’s ideas. We will talk about this hypothesis in the second half of the article. For now, let’s look at what Maslow’s pyramid is in detail.

According to the scientist's research, a person has five basic needs:

1. Physiological needs (first step of the pyramid)

Physiological needs are characteristic of absolutely all living organisms existing on our planet, and, accordingly, of every person. And if a person does not satisfy them, then he simply will not be able to exist, and also will not be able to fully develop. For example, if a person really wants to go to the toilet, he will probably not enthusiastically read a book or calmly walk through a beautiful area, enjoying the amazing scenery. Naturally, without satisfying physiological needs, a person will not be able to work normally, engage in business or any other activity. Such needs are breathing, nutrition, sleep, etc.

2. Security (second stage of the pyramid)

This group includes the needs for security and stability. To understand the essence, you can consider the example of babies - while still unconscious, they strive on a subconscious level, after satisfying their thirst and hunger, to be protected. And only a loving mother can give them this feeling. The situation is similar with adults, but in a different, milder form: for security reasons, they strive, for example, to insure their lives, install strong doors, put locks, etc.

3. Love and belonging (third step of the pyramid)

We are talking about social needs here. They are reflected in such aspirations as making new acquaintances, finding friends and a life partner, and being involved in any group of people. A person needs to show and receive love towards himself. In a social environment, a person can feel useful and important. And this is what motivates people to satisfy social needs.

4. Recognition (fourth step of the pyramid)

After a person satisfies the need for love and belonging to society, the direct influence of others on him decreases, and the focus is on the desire to be respected, the desire for prestige and recognition of various manifestations of his individuality (talents, characteristics, skills, etc.) . And only in case of successful realization of his potential and after achieving recognition of people important to a person, he comes to self-confidence and his abilities.

5. Self-realization (fifth stage of the pyramid)

This stage is the last and it contains spiritual needs, expressed in the desire to develop as a person or a spiritual person, as well as to continue to realize one’s potential. As a result, creative activity, visiting cultural events, and the desire to develop one’s talents and abilities. In addition, a person who has managed to satisfy the needs of the previous stages and, having “climbed” to the fifth, begins to actively seek the meaning of life, study the world around him, and try to make his own contribution to it; he may begin to develop new views and beliefs.

This is a description of basic human needs. You can evaluate for yourself how true these descriptions are by simply trying to look at yourself and your life from the outside. Surely, you can find a lot of evidence of their relevance. But it should be said, among other things, that there are several controversial points in Maslow’s pyramid.

Authorship

Despite the fact that the authorship of the pyramid is officially attributed to Abraham Maslow, he has nothing to do with the version we have today. The fact is that in the form of a graph, the “Hierarchy of Needs” appeared in 1975 in the textbook of a certain W. Stopp, about whose personality there is practically no information, and Maslow died in 1970, and in his works, as already mentioned, there was not a single graphic arts.

A satisfied need ceases to motivate

The main question here is the relevance of needs for a person. For example, a self-sufficient person who is indifferent to communication does not need it and will not strive for it. Anyone who feels protected will not strive even more to protect themselves. Simply put, a satisfied need loses its relevance and moves to another level. And in order to determine current needs, it is enough just to identify unsatisfied ones.

Theory and practice

According to many modern psychologists, despite the fact that Maslow’s pyramid is a clearly structured model, it is quite difficult to apply it in practice, and the scheme itself can lead to completely incorrect generalizations. If we put all the statistics aside, a number of questions immediately arise. For example, how dark is the existence of a person who is not recognized in society? Or, should a person who is systematically malnourished be considered absolutely hopeless? After all, in history you can find hundreds of examples of how people achieved enormous results in life precisely because their needs remained unsatisfied. Take, for example, poverty or unrequited love.

According to some reports, Abraham Maslow subsequently abandoned the theory he put forward, and in his subsequent works (“Towards the Psychology of Being” (1962), “The Far Limits of Human Nature” (1971)), the concept of personal motivation was significantly refined. And the pyramid, which many specialists in the field of psychology and marketing are trying to find application for today, has generally lost all meaning.

Criticism

The main reason for criticizing Maslow's pyramid is its hierarchy, as well as the fact that needs cannot be completely satisfied. Some researchers interpret Maslow's theory in a generally unflattering way. According to their interpretation, the pyramid suggests that man is an animal that constantly needs something. And others say that Maslow's theory cannot be applied in practice when it comes to business, marketing and advertising.

However, the author did not adapt his theory to business or advertising, but only tried to answer questions in which, for example, behaviorism or Freudianism came to a dead end. Maslow simply sought to provide insight into human motivations, and his work is more philosophical than methodological.

Advantages and disadvantages

As is easy to see, the pyramid of needs is not just a classification of them, but reflects a certain hierarchy: instinctive needs, basic, sublime. Every person experiences all these desires, but the following pattern comes into force here: basic needs are considered dominant, and higher-order needs are activated only when the basic ones are satisfied. But it should be understood that needs can be expressed completely differently for each person. And this happens at any level of the pyramid. For this reason, a person must correctly understand his desires, learn to interpret them and adequately satisfy them, otherwise he will constantly be in a state of dissatisfaction and disappointment. By the way, Abraham Maslow took the position that only 2% of all people reach the fifth stage.

There are quite a few different pyramids in the world. You've probably heard about or about the pyramids that were built by the Incas and Aztecs. Each of them has its own characteristics and purpose. However, there are other types of pyramids that belong to the category of intellectual structures.

Today we will talk about Maslow's pyramid, named after the American psychologist. This pyramid is widely used today not only in, but also in management theory, and in many other areas and knowledge.

Maslow's pyramid of needs

Maslow's pyramid is the commonly used name for a hierarchical model of human needs, which is a simplified presentation of the ideas of the American psychologist Abraham Maslow.

The pyramid of needs reflects one of the most popular and well-known theories - the theory of the hierarchy of needs. This theory is also known as needs theory or hierarchy theory.

A pyramid looks like a diagram that shows the various needs of a person. It is important to note that the scientist’s own works do not contain any images or drawings, since, in his opinion, this hierarchical order may change. This directly depends on each individual individual.

They first learned about Maslow's pyramid in the 70s of the last century. At this point in time, information about it can be found in many books on psychology and marketing.

Maslow's pyramid of needs is widely used in economics and has significant weight in the theory of motivation and consumer behavior.

It is noteworthy that Abraham Maslow himself did not create the pyramid, but only formed the needs of those individuals who reached certain heights in life.

Levels of Maslow's pyramid

According to Maslow, every person needs 5 basic needs. Let's list them in order, and give a brief explanation of each need:

1. Physiological needs

Since every living organism needs certain physical needs, they are also inherent in every person. Thus, if this or that individual does not satisfy them, he will not be able to develop and improve normally.

For example, if a person wants to go to the toilet, then at that moment he is unlikely to want to enjoy reading, admire nature, or think about anything else.

Consequently, until he satisfies his physiological need, he will not be able to work normally, make any decisions or engage in any other activity.

Physiological needs include hunger, thirst and many other things.

1. Safety

Every person strives to protect himself and have a certain stability, comfort and consistency of living conditions. This can be easily understood using the example of a baby.

Immediately after his birth, he strives to receive protection on a subconscious level. And only a caring mother can give it.

A similar analogy can be seen in situations with adults. A person, wanting to protect himself, can take out insurance for his life, install reliable locks, doors, alarms, etc. in his own home.

1. Social needs

We are talking about social needs: communication, affection, care for others and attention to oneself, joint activities.

When people try to meet someone, make friends, or find a life partner, this is a clear demonstration of social needs.

One way or another, every person urgently needs to not only show love himself, but also to receive it from others.

Surrounded by society, the individual manages to feel his significance in practice. It is this need that motivates a person to become attached to someone and seek reciprocity.

1. Prestigious needs

This includes self-esteem, respect from others, recognition, and high evaluation of one’s activities, career growth. That is, everything that is associated with the desire to gain respect and authority.

These Maslow needs provoke a person to demonstrate his individual characteristics to society, for example, the ability to sing, dance, play musical instruments, etc.

Only after receiving recognition among loved ones and relatives does a person become confident in himself and get the opportunity to realize his own potential.

1. Spiritual Needs

The last level of Maslow's pyramid of needs is spirituality. This includes cognition, self-actualization, self-expression, self-identification, etc.

At this last stage, the individual strives to realize his spiritual needs and desires self-development. A person begins to get involved in creativity, goes to various cultural events, and tries to better develop his inherent talents.

An individual who has managed to satisfy the 4 previous stages and ends up at 5 begins to reflect on the meaning of life, is interested in the world around him and tries to leave some kind of mark behind him.

Such a person may develop new beliefs and views on life in general.

According to Abraham Maslow's theory, the basic needs of a person look like this. Whether they are accurate and truthful, you can determine for yourself by conducting self-analysis.

However, in fairness, it should be noted that there are several dubious factors in this pyramid.

Authorship

In 1975, in a book by the little-known W. Stopp, a graph called “Hierarchy of Needs” was presented. Maslow died in 1970, but no such graph has been found in his writings.

Therefore, there are reasonable doubts about the authentic authorship of the pyramid of needs, which is closely associated with the name Maslow.

A satisfied need ceases to motivate

In this case, the question arises regarding the relevance of needs for a particular individual. For example, if someone is characterized by pride and indifference towards society, then naturally he will not strive for it in any way.

Also, someone who feels that he is protected will not defend himself even more. It follows from this that a satisfied need loses its meaning when it moves to another stage.

Therefore, to understand the actual needs, it is enough to simply find out the unmet ones.

Theory and practice

Many modern psychologists are critical of Maslow's pyramid. They believe that applying its principles in practice is very difficult, because the scheme itself can lead to completely inaccurate results.

If you do not take into account various statistical data, then a lot of interesting questions immediately arise. For example, how depressed is a person who is not recognized by society, that is, who lacks the 4th level of needs?

Or is it correct to consider a chronically undernourished person (level 1) to be completely hopeless or miserable? Agree that in the world you can find hundreds, if not thousands of examples who managed to achieve heights in different fields of activity thanks to one or another type of dissatisfaction. This, for example, could be unrequited love or even poverty.

There is another version, according to which Abraham Maslow abandoned his own theory, and that at a later time his concept was significantly refined by him.

And the pyramid, which is used today in psychology and in the field of marketing, does not have any serious weight at all.

Criticism

The main criticism of Maslow's pyramid is the hierarchical ladder, and also the fact that, ultimately, human needs cannot be satisfied.

Other researchers argue that according to this pyramid, a person appears to be some kind of animal that constantly needs something.

There are also those who are critical of Maslow's theory due to the fact that its “laws” are not applicable in practice. Especially when it comes to business, advertising or marketing.

However, it must be said here that the author of Maslow’s pyramid of needs did not set himself the goal of building a theory for business or advertising. He was more interested in finding answers to important questions that behaviorism or Freudianism could not explain.

Maslow simply wanted to define the different motives for human actions. His theory must be approached not from the methodological side, but viewed philosophically.

Advantages and disadvantages

It is obvious that the pyramid of needs is not just their classification, but expresses a certain hierarchy: instinctive, basic and sublime needs.

Any healthy person has all of the above needs. But here a clear pattern comes into force: the basic needs of a person are considered dominant, and more elevated needs can be activated provided that the basic ones are satisfied.

However, it is very important to remember that each individual's needs are not expressed in the same way. This can happen at any stage of Maslow's pyramid.

It follows from this that every person is obliged to correctly analyze his desires, learn to interpret them and correctly satisfy them.

If these conditions are not met, he will be in a state of dissatisfaction and maybe even depression. From Maslow’s own point of view, only 2% of all people can reach level 5, the highest level.

Alternative version of Maslow's pyramid

Finally, it is worth noting that there is a more detailed classification of Maslow’s needs. This system distinguishes seven main levels (priorities). The first 6 are considered lower needs, and only the last, 7th level is considered the highest:

1. Physiological needs: hunger, thirst, etc.
2. Security needs: a feeling of confidence, freedom from fear and failure.
3. The need for belonging and love.
4. Esteem needs: achieving success, approval, recognition.
5. Cognitive needs: to know, to be able to, to explore.
6. Aesthetic needs: harmony, order, beauty.
7. The need for self-actualization: realizing one’s goals, abilities, developing one’s own personality.

Now you know what Maslow's pyramid is and why people often talk about it. If you have thoughts about this classification of needs, write about it in the comments.

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