Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
A five-level ordering of human motives, from physiological needs through safety, belonging and esteem to self-actualisation.
What it is
Abraham Maslow set out the hierarchy in 1943, proposing that more basic needs tend to be met before higher ones take priority. Tay and Diener examined need fulfilment and well-being in 123 countries and found the link held across world regions, with life evaluation most tied to basic needs and day-to-day feelings tied more to social, respect and autonomy needs. Kenrick, Griskevicius, Neuberg and Schaller argued in 2010 that the basic structure is worth keeping, with extensions that link motives to the threats and opportunities of a situation.
In effect
In the article on whether Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is real, it is read as a real list of needs with a looser order than the pyramid suggests.
What it does not say
The research cited supports the list of needs more firmly than a strict sequence. It does not say that a higher need waits until every lower one is fully met, and it is not a test that sorts people by level.
Sources
- Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370-396.
- Tay, L., & Diener, E. (2011). Needs and subjective well-being around the world. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(2), 354-365.
- Kenrick, D. T., Griskevicius, V., Neuberg, S. L., & Schaller, M. (2010). Renovating the pyramid of needs: Contemporary extensions built upon ancient foundations. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 5(3), 292-314.