Maslow's pyramid of needs is a hierarchy of human needs, a well-known theory of motivation, based on the works of a psychologist from America, who became the founder of humanistic versification.

Maslow's pyramid of needs is successfully used in modern economics, and is considered as a model of the needs of the theory of motivation, the behavioral factor of the consumer.

For the first time, Maslow's pyramid of needs appeared in the form of a graphic image "Hierarchy of needs" in the textbook on marketing and psychology by W. Stopp in 1975, after Maslow's death five years later. In the early 80s of the 20th century, the schedule of needs was replaced by a pyramid pattern, which his students came up with to better understand Maslow's theory in a visual form.

Maslow's pyramid of needs

1st need: physiological: removal of hunger, thirst, intimacy, sleep, oxygen, clothing.

Sometimes this need is called instinctive, basic, basic. Therefore, a person gives it priority attention, otherwise he will feel uncomfortable.
According to Maslow, the lower physiological needs lay the foundation for all other needs, and without their satisfaction, a person does not move and does not develop further. Even all living organisms have these needs.

Examples:

• Waking up in the morning before work, you want to have breakfast: drink hot coffee and eat a sandwich, and not finish reading the pages of an interesting work.
• The need to visit the toilet will be a priority, instead of finding your place in the theater hall.

The needs of the first stage are very important, but they do not always prevail over the personality. Partial satisfaction is enough to step over to the second step of Maslow's pyramid.

2nd security need: stability, defense, dependency, freedom from anxiety, fear and chaos.

Examples:

• A small child is scared, he is afraid of something, so he cries long and hard until he sees his mom or dad. The absence of parents from his field of vision, the child becomes irritable, he does not care what others think of him. He needs protection.
• A believer also needs protection. Arriving at the church, he feels the patronage of higher powers. He calms down and believes only in a good future..

Stability in work, salaries are also related to this need.

3rd need for love and belonging: friendship, family, community.

It is natural for a person to become a part of society, he strives for this. In adolescence, it is necessary to join the environment where there is a leader or an idol in order to take an example of behavior from him.

With increasing age, a person sorts out the circle of his acquaintances, and it narrows. There are a few friends, buddies with the same views on life, work, interests. In any case, people live and become a formed part of society, where they feel their importance and usefulness.

For certain individuals, there is a need to meet a new friend. Some are limited to their family and children.

After satisfying the 3rd need - social, a person strives for the 4th stage of needs: to success.

4th need for recognition and respect: respect in the team, pride in oneself, status, excellent reputation, fame, manifestation of talent.

A person cannot be content with only family, home, children. He wants more. Having received the status of a specialist, they began to respect him in the team. And if he became a businessman, he is proud of himself. And if there is fame about his company, then his reputation rises.

Work becomes more than just work. A person awakens spiritual motivation and a great desire to create, to create much more, better and better. A person automatically moves to the next stage of Maslow's needs.

5th (later 7th) need for self-realization: a person does his job, he does well. His inclinations, abilities help in work.

When everything is fine, life is good. It seems to a person that he has not yet achieved everything, he begins to engage in self-development, self-realization, spiritual needs appear, the realization of his potential. The person is ready to move forward, to fight. Gained life experience: democratic temperament, creativity helps to resist social habits, a person is ready to learn himself and teach others, form new views and convince.

Abraham Maslow's research showed that only 1-3% of humanity reach the fifth (seventh) step of the pyramid, which have an excess of ideas and internal energy.

Scientist Maslow, his research

A little about Abraham Harold Maslow (from the former surname Maslov), was born into a poor family of emigrants (from Tsarist Russia) in 1908 in Brooklyn. He studied well, worked hard and often visited libraries. He became president of the Association for Social Psychology and the Department of Aesthetics. The ten-year period from 1960 to 1970 was a fruitful stage in his life, where most of his works were written.

The scientist believed that the behavior of mankind is motivated only to meet their personal life goals, moving gradually from one achieved need to the next and so on.

Abraham Maslow argued that in a large number of people all needs are like animal instincts, which are either innate or acquired.

Maslow's research proved that any person has five (seven) mandatory needs: from simpler, lower needs to higher needs. Human existence will cease if these needs are not met, and human development will not fully develop.

Additional work on Maslow's pyramid

People heard about the "Theory of Human Motivation" in 1943, which contained Maslow's main ideas about the features in the formation of human needs of successful and creative people. More detailed research was reflected in the book Motivation and Personality in 1954.

Scientist A. Maslow worked on the biography of healthy and active people. These included: Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, who became his ideals when developing the theory of motivation and pyramids.

Maslow's pyramid of 5 steps was and remains the achievement of that time. The scientist constantly improved the pyramid of needs. The works published in the 20th century were "The Psychology of Being" - 62g, and 71g "Far Limits of Nature".

In his writings, Maslow pyramids preserved all the needs: the first four remained in their places, and the fifth moved to the seventh place. Added two steps of the pyramid:

5 need, cognitive: know-be able-to explore.
A person constantly strives to learn a lot of information from smart cognitive programs. Spends a lot of time reading. Skillfully applies his knowledge in practice.

6 need, aesthetic: harmony-order-beauty.
Visiting art exhibitions and museums develops a person's harmony of beauty and inspiration about beauty.

Final thoughts. Examples

Maslow's pyramid has seven main steps. And according to the scientist A. Maslow, the hierarchy of needs is not stable, as it seems at first. But the majority of mankind obey the order of the sequence of the pyramid of needs, depending on their abilities and motivation, as well as on age.

People are divided into different categories, some will be able to neglect the satisfaction of basic needs for the sake of their goal.

Examples:

• First he wants to become a rich businessman, and then arrange a personal life in old age.
• For others, the priority is power and its triumph.
• The third category - enough respect and love in the family.
• The fourth is happy with a piece of bread and a bowl of soup.

Subjects have learned to satisfy their desires in accordance with the necessary needs.

Maslow's pyramid is a seven-level ladder, which presents a simplified version of the idea to satisfy a human need and its successive steps.

Do you want to know what level you are on? Find yourself on the step of the pyramid, if you have not reached your goal, rise higher, accepting the recommendations of the scientist.

The pyramid of needs according to Maslow can be found in textbooks, read on websites. The pyramid reflects human needs. It benefits and teaches how to correctly accept desires and needs. The main thing depends on each person, on the goal in life and the ability to think.

Maslow first introduced his concept of a hierarchy of needs in his 1943 paper The Theory of Human Motivation and 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 study of the human personality (psychoanalysis and behaviorism) tended to focus on problem behavior, Maslow was much more interested in studying what makes people happy and what they do to achieve this goal.

As a humanist, Maslow believed that people have an innate desire to be self-actualized, that is, to be all that they can be. However, to achieve these ultimate goals, it is necessary to satisfy a number of more basic needs, such as the need for food, security, love and self-esteem.

There are five different levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Let's take a closer look at Maslow's needs, starting from the lowest level, which are known as physiological needs.

From basic to more complex needs

Maslow's hierarchy is most often displayed as a pyramid. The lowest levels of the pyramid consist of the most basic needs, while the most complex needs are at the top of the pyramid.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Pyramid

The needs at the bottom of the pyramid are the basic physical requirements, including the need for food, water, sleep, and warmth. Once these lower level needs are met, people can move on to the next level of safety and security needs.

As people move up the pyramid, the needs become more psychological and social. Soon the need for love, friendship and intimacy becomes important. Further up the pyramid, the need for personal dignity and a sense of accomplishment is prioritized.

Like Carl Rogers, Maslow emphasized the importance of self-actualization, which is the process of growth and development as an individual in order to achieve individual potential.

Scarcity Needs and Growth Needs

Maslow believed that these needs are like instincts and play a major role in motivating behavior. The needs for physiology, security, welfare, and respect are scarcity needs that arise from deprivation Deprivation (lat. deprivatio - loss, deprivation) - reduction or complete deprivation of the ability to satisfy basic needs - psychophysiological or social.. Satisfying these lower level needs is important in order to avoid unpleasant sensations or consequences.

Maslow called the highest level of the pyramid the growth needs. These needs do not stem from a lack of something, but rather from a desire to grow as a person.

Although theory is usually portrayed as a fairly rigid hierarchy, Maslow noted that the order in which these needs are met does not always follow this standard progression. For example, he noted that for some people the need for self-esteem is more important than the need for love. For others, the need for creative fulfillment can crowd out even the most basic needs.

Physiological Needs

Basic physiological needs are probably pretty obvious - these are the things that are vital to our survival. Some examples of physiological needs include:

• Breath
• homeostasis

In addition to the basic requirements for food, air, and temperature regulation, physiological needs also include things like shelter and clothing. Maslow also included sexual reproduction at this level of the hierarchy of needs as it is essential to the survival and spread of the species.

Safety and security needs

As you move up to the second level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the requirements start to get a little more complicated. At this level, safety and security needs become a priority. People want control and order in their lives, so this need for safety and security contributes greatly to behavior at this level.

Some of the basic security needs include:

• Financial support
• Health and wellness
• Safety from accidents and injuries

Finding a job, getting health insurance and medical care, depositing money into a savings account, and moving to a safer area are all examples of actions motivated by safety and security needs.

Together, the safety and physiological levels of the hierarchy constitute what is often referred to as basic needs.

Social needs

Social needs in Maslow's hierarchy include things like love, acceptance, and belonging. At this level, the need for emotional relationships determines human behavior. Some of the things that fill this need include:

• Friendly contacts
• romantic affections
• A family
• Social groups
• Community groups
• Churches and religious organizations

To avoid problems such as loneliness, depression and anxiety, it is important that people feel loved and accepted by other people. Personal relationships with friends, family, and lovers are important, as is participation in other groups, which may include religious groups, sports teams, book clubs, and other group activities.

The need for respect

At the fourth level in Maslow's hierarchy, there is a need for appreciation and respect. When the needs at the lower three levels are satisfied, respect begins to play a more prominent role in motivating behavior.

At this stage, it becomes increasingly important to win the respect and appreciation of others. People have a need to achieve something and then be recognized for their efforts.

In addition to the need for a sense of accomplishment and prestige, the need for respect includes things like self-esteem and personal worth. People need to feel valued by others and feel that they are contributing to the world. Participation in professional activities, academic achievement, sports or team participation, and personal hobbies can all play a role in meeting the need for respect.

People who are able to satisfy their esteem needs by gaining good self-esteem and the recognition of others tend to feel confident in their abilities. Those who lack self-respect and respect for others may develop feelings of inferiority.

Together, respect and social levels make up what is known as psychological needs of the hierarchy.

Needs for self-realization

At the very peak of Maslow's hierarchy are the needs for self-actualization. “Whatever a person can be, he should be,” Maslow explained, referring to the need for humans to reach their full potential as human beings.

According to Maslow's definition of self-realization:

“This can be roughly described as the full use of talents, abilities, opportunities, etc. Such people seem to realize themselves and do the best that they are capable of doing ... These are people who have developed or are developing to the level that they are capable of .”

Self-fulfilling people are self-aware, care about personal growth, care less about the opinions of others, and are interested in realizing their potential.

Criticism of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow's theory has become wildly popular both within and outside of psychology. The theory has been particularly affected by the fields of education and business. Despite its popularity, Maslow's concept was not without criticism.

The main ones are:

Needs do not necessarily follow a hierarchy

While some research has shown some support for Maslow's theories, most research has failed to substantiate the idea of ​​a hierarchy of needs. Wahba and Bridgewell reported that there was little evidence for Maslow's ranking of needs, and even less evidence that those needs were in a hierarchical order.

Theory is hard to test

Other critics of Maslow's theory have noted that his definition of self-realization is difficult to test scientifically. His self-actualization research was also based on a very limited sample of people, including people he knew, as well as biographies of famous people that Maslow considered to be self-actualized.

So why was Maslow's hierarchy of needs so influential?

Regardless of these criticisms, Maslow's hierarchy of needs represents part of an important shift in psychology. Instead of focusing on abnormal behavior and development, Maslow's humanistic psychology focused on the development of healthy individuals.

While there has been relatively little research to support the theory, the hierarchy of needs is well known and popular both within and outside of psychology. In a study published in 2011, researchers at the University of Illinois set out to test for hierarchy.

They found that while satisfying needs is closely related to happiness, people from various cultures around the world reported that self-fulfillment and social needs are important even when many of the most basic needs have not been met.

Such results indicate that while these needs can be powerful motivators of human behavior, they do not necessarily take on the hierarchical form described by Maslow.

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In addition to unique architectural structures, there are pyramids of a different kind, which, nevertheless, cause far from a weak hype around them. They can be called intellectual structures. And one of them is the pyramid of needs of Abraham Maslow - the famous American psychologist, the founder of humanistic psychology.

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 publications of the scientist contains any schematic images, because. he was of the opinion that this order is dynamic in nature and can change depending on the characteristics of the personality of each individual person.

The first mention of the pyramid of needs can be found in the German-language literature of the 70s of the XX century. In many educational materials on psychology and marketing, they can be found today. The very same model of needs is actively used in the economy and is of great importance for the theory of motivation and consumer behavior.

Also interesting is the widespread opinion that Maslow himself did not create a pyramid, but only brought out common features in shaping the needs of successful people in life and creative activity. And the pyramid was invented by his followers, who sought to visualize the ideas of the scientist. We will talk about this hypothesis in the second half of the article. In the meantime, let's figure out what Maslow's pyramid is in detail.

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

1. Physiological needs (the first step of the pyramid)

Physiological needs are characteristic of absolutely all living organisms existing on our planet, respectively, and 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 has a strong desire to go to the toilet, he will certainly not enthusiastically read a book or calmly walk through a beautiful area, enjoying the amazing scenery. Naturally, without satisfying the physiological needs, a person will not be able to work normally, do business and any other activity. These needs are breathing, food, sleep, etc.

2. Security (the second step 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 subconsciously strive, after they have satisfied their thirst and hunger, to be protected. And only a loving mother can give them this feeling. Similarly, but in a different, milder form, the situation is with adults: for security reasons, they seek, for example, to insure their lives, install strong doors, put locks, etc.

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

This is about social needs. They are reflected in such aspirations as making new acquaintances, finding friends and a life partner, being involved in any group of people. A person needs to show love and receive it in relation to himself. In a social environment, a person can feel his usefulness and significance. 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 impact on him of those around him decreases, and the focus is on the desire to be respected, the desire for prestige and recognition of various manifestations of one's individuality (talents, features, skills, etc.) . And only in the case of successful realization of his potential and after achieving the recognition of important people for a person, he comes to confidence in himself and his abilities.

5. Self-realization (fifth step 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, attending cultural events, the desire to develop their talents and abilities. In addition, a person who has managed to satisfy the needs of the previous steps and “climbing” to the fifth one begins to actively seek the meaning of being, to study the world around him, to try to contribute to it; he may begin to form new attitudes and beliefs.

This is the description of basic human needs. To what extent these descriptions have a place to be, you can evaluate yourself, just by 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, it 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.

Satisfied need ceases to motivate

The main issue here is the relevance of human needs. For example, a self-sufficient person who is indifferent to communication does not need it and will not strive for it. The one who feels protected will not become even more eager to protect himself. Simply put, a satisfied need loses its relevance and moves to another stage. And in order to determine the actual needs, it is enough just to identify the unmet 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 absolutely incorrect generalizations. If we put aside all the statistics, then a number of questions immediately arise. For example, how clouded is the existence of a person not recognized in society? Or, should a person who is systematically undernourished be considered completely hopeless? Indeed, in history you can find hundreds of examples of how people achieved great 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 (“On the Psychology of Being” (1962), “The Far Limits of Human Nature” (1971)), the concept of personality motivation was significantly improved. And the pyramid, which today many specialists in the field of psychology and marketing seek to find application, has generally lost all meaning.

Criticism

The main reason for criticism of 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 not very personal way. According to their interpretation, the pyramid says that a person 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 adjust his theory to business or advertising, but only tried to answer questions in which, for example, behaviorism or Freudianism came to a standstill. Maslow simply sought to give an idea of ​​the motives of human actions, and his work is more philosophical than methodological in nature.

Advantages and disadvantages

As you can easily see, the pyramid of needs is not just their classification, but displays a certain hierarchy: instinctive needs, basic, sublime. Each 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 in completely different ways 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 adhered to the position that only 2% of all people reach the fifth step.

It is often mentioned in various manuals 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. On the basis of his observations, he was able to deduce curious patterns of human needs. We will return to this theory later. And now let's take a closer look at what Maslow's pyramid of human needs is. To begin with, we 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, oxygen. Not surprisingly, many call such needs instinctive. However, if they are not satisfied, then there is no aspiration for higher goals. This reflects Maslow's pyramid. Physiological needs force people to work, and spend the money received on food, clothing, and home improvement. It is unlikely that a person who is very thirsty or hungry will spend the last money on a ticket to the theater.

Pursuit of Security

Consider what Maslow's pyramid of needs includes at the second level. It will be about the desire to be protected and achieve stability. An example is babies. Toddlers, whose awareness is still at a minimum level, after satisfaction of 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 there are no deviations in the psyche of a person, the desire to protect oneself manifests itself in a rather mild form - he draws up insurance, cuts in reliable locks, etc.

Need for love, belonging

Maslow's pyramid also includes a third step. On it are social needs, manifested in the fact that people tend to enter into any team, to make friends. They want to be loved and, of course, love. The social environment provides a great opportunity to feel important and benefit others. That is why most people seek to establish relationships with acquaintances, to find a partner not only to create a family, but also to run a business, and even to discuss issues of interest to them.

Desire to be recognized

In the case of complete satisfaction of the previous need, the impact of others on the individual is minimized. The desire for respect, prestige, recognition of one's own abilities and talents comes to the fore. An individual becomes confident in his abilities only after he receives recognition from relatives, 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 be able to realize his potential. Maslow's pyramid ends with the need for spiritual nourishment. People at this stage strive for creativity, visiting museums, exhibitions, theaters. Another characteristic feature of an individual who has managed to rise to the fifth step is the search for the meaning of life, the struggle for justice and knowledge of the surrounding world. Such needs Maslow considered the highest. Now consider two more alternative levels.

step six

People are naturally curious. Children begin to get acquainted with the world around them, crawling everywhere and everywhere. They are especially interested in things hidden away. A. Maslow described the need for understanding and cognition as follows:

The phenomenon called curiosity is also observed in some higher animals. For example, monkeys, discovering unfamiliar objects, try to disassemble them into details, stick their fingers into all possible cracks, etc. In such a situation, exploratory behavior is observed that is not associated with fear, nor with the desire for comfort, nor with physiological needs.

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

All psychologically normal individuals strive for the inexplicable, the mysterious, the enigmatic. At the same time, concepts and phenomena that are amenable to one hundred percent explanation evoke boredom.

The need for knowledge and understanding in children is expressed more clearly than in adults. Moreover, such a desire develops not 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 evaluated only in terms of the result. At the same time, one forgets about those feelings that arise in the process of comprehension, insight. But a person is truly happy when he manages to touch the highest truth at least for a moment.

Step seven. aesthetic needs

Some individuals really need aesthetic pleasure. If they are surrounded by ugly things or people, they get sick in the literal sense of the word. The most effective cure for all ailments for them is beauty. At present, this need has been little studied. Here's what you can say about her:

Some people have a pronounced creative potential. Creative needs are dominant here. Often they become even more important than physiological ones.

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

Basic postulates of the theory

Each rung of the pyramid represents one level of needs. More pronounced needs are lower, and less pronounced ones are higher. Without satisfying (at least partially) basic needs, it is extremely difficult to move up the pyramid. Above we have discussed in detail all the steps. To list them briefly, they are physiology, safety, sociality, recognition and knowledge. Alternate levels - curiosity and aesthetics. They play an equally important role in motivating individual behavior.

It has already been mentioned that physiology is the basic step of the pyramid. As Maslow argued, a person should ideally reach the highest level by about the age of fifty.

So who is the author anyway?

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 the consideration of questions of self-realization of people. But the pyramid in the form familiar to us was not compiled by him. The diagrammatic hierarchy of needs was first published in the Pillar edition of the 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 reasoning. However, modern researchers have come to the following conclusion: an actual need is one that has not yet been 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 for communication will avoid annoying interlocutors. Someone who does not need prestige will not change his behavior and habits to satisfy a need that he does not actually have.

What about in practice?

According to most modern psychologists, no matter how structured Maslow's pyramid of needs (the figure is presented in the article), it is not easy to find a practical application for it. Focusing on this scheme, one can slide into extremely inappropriate generalizations. If we do not pay attention to statistics and consider each individual individually, the question arises of 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 doesn't take into account the fact that many people get what they want because of unmet needs. What are unrequited feelings worth!

If Maslow's pyramid of needs is taken as the basis for 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 worked in absolute poverty.

There is evidence that Maslow's pyramid was criticized by the psychologist himself. Studying his later works On the Psychology of Being (1962) and The Far 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 of different levels. First of all, the expediency of the very idea of ​​hierarchy and the impossibility of individuals to satisfy all their needs once forever are called into question. Maslow's pyramid of needs (the pictures below reflect its essence) is most sharply criticized as follows: "According to this psychologist, people are animals who want something all the time."

Another reproach is the inability to apply the considered concept of the distribution of human needs in business and marketing. However, one can object here, recalling why Abraham Maslow thought about the concept of motivation and personality. The pyramid of needs appeared for the reason that the author sought to find answers to questions that were not covered either in behaviorism or in Freudianism. A 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. So, basic and more sublime needs are distinguished. We pass through all levels, while 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 where all lower ones are already satisfied.

In this case, it is important to take into account one feature. So, the forms of manifestation of needs in different people can radically differ. This also applies to the desire to be recognized and loved. For example, it is quite enough for one person to establish a trusting relationship with children, while another will certainly strive to become an influential political figure. A similar range within one 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 are not subject to transformation. The only thing that can be different is the way they are satisfied. How to apply the scientist's theory in real life? Having considered the levels of the Maslow pyramid, the personnel manager can build the most effective motivational ladder in a particular situation. When it comes to finding a job, it's important to start by defining your own goals. Ask yourself what you want from a certain position. What factors are important? Having dealt with personal motives, you can avoid mistakes in choosing a company or even a profession.

Marketing

The pyramid of needs according to Maslow (its levels were briefly discussed above) is often used in this professional field. Some experienced marketers argue that guided by the presented hierarchy of human aspirations, it is possible to identify what level of needs are served by a particular company. It is no secret that the activity of a particular firm is directly dependent on the dynamics and state of the needs markets that are satisfied. For example, when the economy is in crisis, the needs of consumers rapidly descend to the lower levels of the notorious pyramid.

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

As John Sheildreck pointed out, the levels of Maslow's pyramid of needs are relevant only 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 for its analysis one should be armed with other theoretical tools.

Planning

Maslow's reasoning about human needs, according to experts, can be useful in the process of making 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 received data, it is possible to develop and bring certain services and goods to the market in an effective way.

Theory of needs. Modern version

Do you believe 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 established that caring for children, caring for them, teaching, feeding, and the like is a need that is located in the depths of the subconscious. Her satisfaction is considered a natural component of human essence.

American psychologists have proposed their own version of the considered pyramid. As the researchers noted, although implementation 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 the basic biological needs based on obtaining a status in order to attract a partner and then continue their own kind. As noted by one of the participants in the ongoing experiments - Douglas Kenrick - among the fundamental aspirations of people, the main thing is the desire to have offspring. That is why the upbringing of children can be considered the basic level in the pyramid of needs of the modern type.

Conclusion

Aspirations to a large extent determine the behavior of people. 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 of the actions of people.

Every person has certain needs. Without some of them it is impossible to exist. Experts have different views on needs. For the first time, human needs were described and analyzed at the beginning of the 20th century. Until now, every professional considers his theory. In the article, we will consider the basic needs of a person, analyze the classification of the famous American psychologist Abraham Harold Maslow.

The essence of the concept

Every person needs something. Everything depends on the conditions of life, the activities of the individual, material objects, etc. This is the need of the individual. That is, this is the internal state of a person, because of which something is felt to be lacking. The need manifests itself in each person in different ways, depending on certain situations. Experts have noticed that the need never ends. If a person satisfies one need, another immediately appears. This cycle goes on throughout life. Each need is manifested by certain emotions. A person becomes angry and irritable when he cannot satisfy the need, that is, negatively minded. Positive emotions appear only when everything worked out.

If the needs are not satisfied, discomfort appears, which gradually develops into a negative state. That is why people try to create all the conditions for a comfortable and prosperous life. Every living organism needs something. This is not necessarily a person, but also plants, animals, insects and other living beings. The concept and classification of needs are considered in many aspects. However, psychologists associate them with the need of a person in different areas and directions. This is the essence of every need.

Essence and classification

The classification of personality needs is a concept that is used in several meanings. First of all, these are objects of the external environment. They are necessary for a normal human life. The second area is the state of mind. A person needs communication, love and other feelings. If this is not the case, then a turning point occurs in the life of the individual, which greatly affects the psyche, which is why a depressive state appears.

There are other fundamental properties. That is, how a person relates to the world and the environment. Based on the above needs, the following features are distinguished:

1. The need is interconnected with the deficit of a particular item or object. For example, when a person does not have enough food or clothing, he feels the need for it.
2. Needs are closely related to positive and negative emotions. Everything depends on the situation. If a person has satisfied his need, for example, bought something or made something with his own hands, then he rejoices and everything is fine with him. When the need is unfulfilled, then the mood deteriorates, depression appears and negative emotions appear.
3. The number of needs is increasing every year. If a newborn does not have so many needs, then an adult has many more. A small child needs to be fed, played with or changed. He will be content with life. An adult has much more needs that require certain efforts and costs.

The classification of human needs is a system by which the importance of needs is determined. Their features are directly related to the motivation and purpose of a person. This suggests that the need can be satisfied only when the person purposefully moves forward and remembers the motives.

Functions

There are three stages that determine the needs of a person. First, a need is formed when a person has a certain attitude, feelings and emotions to external stimuli. Then motivation is built, and the third stage is the awareness of the need. At the same time, a person experiences negative or positive emotions, specific thoughts, goals and plans appear.

There are two main functions:

• Signal. When a need arises, a person feels a deficit, thoughts change, the state becomes more restless until the need is satisfied.
• Driving need. The individual begins to act in his own interests. Activity, labor activity is manifested, human behavior is radically changing.

In fact, the classification of human needs closely intersects with functions. However, only a few species have been described. Many psychologists list more than 130 human needs. This is a lot, but people still strive to live better and satisfy their needs both with the help of material goods and spiritual ones. The same can be said about the needs of society.

Types of needs

Based on the above features, experts identify certain needs. Professionals usually use 6 varieties in their work - these are the main classifications of needs. The first of these includes the field of activity. That is, a person needs to work or study. For example, a schoolchild or a small child needs knowledge, and an adult needs work. However, each person has a need for both communication and relaxation. This applies not only to adults, but also to children.

The second classification is the object of needs. This can be the material side, biological, spiritual, aesthetic, etc. That is, it says here that a person needs work to meet financial needs or rest. The third classification is very important. It determines the importance of needs and is divided into two types. In the first place is the basic need, without which a person cannot live, and in the second - the dominant (secondary). The fourth classification of needs (temporary stability) is also divided into two types. The first need is situational, and the second is sustainable.

The functional role is the fifth classification, which is divided into two types:

1. Natural when passed on at the genetic level. This is the need for food, water, oxygen. Natural need comes first and is considered dominant.
2. Cultural. A person needs objects, various phenomena that are not inherited. This is beauty, purity, knowledge, religion, science, sports and much more.

The last, sixth classification of needs is by subject. It can be communication or work with a group of people, society, a team or with an individual person. The types of needs and their classification show that these are the facts that are taken into account in order to understand the essence of the needs of a person or society. In total, we can conclude that the absence of good causes certain emotions of the individual. They can be both negative and positive. Similarly, the needs of society can be characterized.

Maslow's classification of needs

American psychologist Abraham Harold Maslow put forward his theory. He painted the needs of a person in a certain order. However, according to his theory, needs should be considered from the lowest class to the highest. People must first satisfy those that are natural, original, gradually moving to higher, spiritual ones.

Maslow's classification of needs includes the following main components of need:

• The need for self-realization.
• Need for recognition.
• In love and belonging.
• The need for security.
• the needs of physiology.

Based on the above components, a pyramid was formed with the main human needs. In the list above, it looks like this: the bottom item is the foundation on which each subsequent component is based. Upper - peak. The pyramid has become known all over the world and is successfully used by students and teachers.

What are the basic needs?

As it turned out, Maslow's classification of needs is divided into 5 components. The most interesting thing is that they are considered in reverse order. The first very important classification is the need for physiology. The life of not only a person, but also of any living being depends on it. Physiological needs include sleep, food, sex, and breathing.

The second component considers the fourth classification. This is a need for security. A person must be sure that he lives in a protected society, where law and law prevail. He should not fear for his life. The individual needs to know that in the event of an emergency, the police, firemen, doctors, and so on will come to his aid. This also includes a sense of stability and confidence in the future.

The need for love and belonging is the third important component in human life. All people want to be loved and respected. Therefore, each person needs to communicate with the team, friends, relatives. At the same time, a person feels that he is needed by someone. When the need for love is satisfied, then the person needs prestige and recognition. This is the second step in a row. A person wants others to see his talents. Only when people recognize a gifted person does he become self-confident and successful.

And the first component is the need for self-realization. This is a spiritual need. Each person tries to be creative, goes to the museum, theater, circus. That is, he strives to develop spiritually. The American psychologist Maslow arranged the five main components in a hierarchical sequence. However, many scientists disagreed with this theory. After all, the need for self-realization cannot be in the first place, and physiological needs - in the last. However, the psychologist was able to prove the opposite, since the pyramid is read from below.

The meaning of Maslow's pyramid

The classification of needs in psychology has been considered by many scientists. They concluded that the Maslow pyramid is worthy of attention and respect if studied from the lowest level. After all, the most important thing in a person's life is food, drink, a roof over his head. Therefore, the physiological need takes first place. Now this unique pyramid of needs is being studied at universities in subjects such as psychology, economics, and even marketing. Not only the student, but every person must understand the need in order of importance.

The meaning of the pyramid is to satisfy a secondary need, it is necessary to realize the dominant one. Psychologists recommend both parents and educators to interest children so that they have a desire to satisfy their needs. However, not all experts agree with this, since A. Maslow did not look for individuality. He created a hierarchical level in his research, which is very different from the theory of other specialists. You can read about it below.

What does an unfulfilled need lead to?

Not every person manages to satisfy their needs the way they want. Therefore, there are situations when the need remains unfulfilled. What happens in this case? If a person could not satisfy his need for self-realization, he becomes insecure and notorious. In the future, such people do not have common topics for conversation with others. If a person has not satisfied the need for security and he does not have stability, then psychological trauma appears. Subsequently, fear, nervousness, stress appear.

When a person does not have friends and close people on whom he can rely, it means that the need for love is unsatisfied. Such people become withdrawn and lonely. They quickly wither and life becomes boring and uninteresting for them.

As it turned out, the physiological need is the most important. If it is unrealized, then the person begins not only to get sick, but also to “fade away” before our eyes. The consequences can be detrimental. Any unfulfilled need negatively affects both health and the human psyche. That is why psychologists believe that it is necessary to meet your needs immediately, as they come.

Criticism of needs by psychologists

Many psychologists disagree with Maslow's pyramid just because they don't see the logic. The scientist has developed needs in such a way that they only come in turn. Before the second need can be satisfied, the first must be met first. In fact, psychologists agree only with physiological needs. After all, if a person is hungry, he will not want to realize anything else. However, why is the need for security in second place, and not for love? After all, each person is individual. If one needs stability, the other may need love.

At the same time, psychologists agree with Maslow that a person is dependent on needs. The individual exceeds his needs, so the process of creating needs often becomes more complex. You can pay tribute to Abraham Harold Maslow. He never insisted on his theory, but gave people a choice. He agreed with those psychologists who put forward their theories of the classification of needs. Maslow agrees that any need depends on certain conditions in which a person is. It seems that the theory of the English scientist gave a detailed answer to teachers or leaders.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can say that the theory of the famous American psychologist A. Maslow caused both bewilderment of other specialists and many questions. After all, his theory, hierarchy is not accessible and understandable to everyone. The psychologist analyzed the need of a person and created five steps that talked about the needs of people. However, he did not take into account the individuality of the individual, and therefore the hierarchy for all people was one. Psychologists say that this cannot be, since each individual has his own desires. If a person is overly creative and cannot imagine his life without creativity, then this is the most important thing for a person. For such people, love and other needs become secondary.

Specialist studies show that the same need both increases performance indicators and reduces them. It all depends on the specific situation, individuality of the individual.