What is the Hierarchy of Needs?

The hierarchy of needs is a psychological theory that is involved with human motivation. It was proposed by Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist, in 1943. Maslow's research into motivation was based on intelligent, psychologically-stable individuals; he made it a point to choose the most intelligent, most successful, healthiest people possible to be the subjects of his research. The hierarchy of needs itself represents the needs that people experience in order of importance; it is often depicted as a pyramid with the most essential needs at the base.

The bottom four levels of the pyramidal representation of the hierarchy are referred to as "deficiency needs," as an individual suffers physically or psychologically if they are not met. Physiological needs make up the first level at the bottom and include the basic needs that sustain life and lead to procreation. Physiological needs include breathing, eating, and sleeping. In a healthy individual, according to Maslow, all other needs should be subordinated to the basic physiological needs.

The second level of the hierarchy of needs includes safety and security needs. The desire for health, steady employment, protection from the others and from environment, and financial stability are all considered safety and security needs. Social needs make up the third level of the hierarchy; friendship, acceptance, family, and sexual intimacy are all considered social needs. Social needs are generally subordinated to safety and security needs, which are subordinated to physiological needs.

Personal worth and esteem is the fourth level of the hierarchy of needs. People wish to feel important and valued, and generally suffer if they do not. Self-esteem and self-respect are extremely important aspects of this level; without them, a healthy individual can not progress beyond the deficiency needs to the fifth and final level of the hierarch.

The fifth level of the hierarchy is referred to as self-actualization, and involves personal development, growth, and purpose. When someone has fulfilled all of his other needs, he is free to pursue his maximum potential and work to develop himself to the highest degree possible without worrying about such things as food, insurance, fitting in, and feeling important. Only when the deficiency needs have been met can one continuously work towards self-actualization.

Late in his life, Maslow explained a final level of the hierarchy of needs that is often not included in modern representations of the hierarchy. He referred to this level as self-transcendence. Self-transcendence is a state of spiritual insight and enlightenment that is often considered too unscientific to be included with his serious psychological work.