Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory in
psychology proposed by
Abraham Maslow[?] in his
1943 paper
A Theory of Human Motivation. He formulated a
hierarchy of
human needs, and his theory contends that as the basic needs are met humans desire higher needs.
The body aims to achieve
homeostasis, an equilibrium of different factors (water content of the
blood, salt content, sugar content, protein content, fat content, calcium content, oxygen content, constant hydrogen-ion level /acid-base level, constant blood temperature). This is obtained with
food,
drinks,
shelter, fresh
air, a proper
temperature, etc. If all of a human's needs are unmet then the physiological need takes the highest priority. Given hunger for
love and food, a human is more likely to find a solution for the latter first. As a result all other desires and capacities are pushed on to the back burner.
When the physiological needs are met then the human turns towards
safety needs. Safety attains the highest priority over all other desires. A functioning society tends to provide this to its members. Examples in the recent past/present of where this has failed include
Somalia and
Afghanistan. In
Kosovo, while food was available, the absence of security for the Kosovars resulted in a large population being displaced in search of security.
However, in the case of acute danger, safety comes before things like eating.
If safety and physiological needs are met then the human being gravitates towards achieving fulfilment of
love needs. A note worth making here is that sex is not equivalent to love. Love can and is often expressed sexually. Sexuality can at points be considered solely for its physiological basis.
Self-actualization is the need of a human to make the mose of abilities.
In recent years, the term has been somewhat overused and is opften perceived as psycho-babble.
Maslow described it as:
- A musician must make music, the artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What a man can be, he must be. This need we may call self-actualisation. -- Motivation and Personality, 1954
While Maslow's theory was seen as an improvement on previous theories of personality and motivation, concepts such as self-actualisation are somewhat vague. There is no proof that every person has ability to become self-actualised.
- A. H. Maslow. A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review, 50, 370-396. (1943)