Maslow's Hierachy Of Needs

Abraham Maslow came up with this theory accurately describing many realities of personal experiences.The hierarchic theory of needs set up consists of 5 basic levels.

Firstly,there are the Physiological Needs.
Oxygen., food, water, and a relatively constant body temperature are the strongest needs as they would come first in the search of saisfaction should a person be deprived of all needs.

Secondly, there are the Safety Needs.
These needs become active when all physiological needs are satisfied
and are no longer controlling thoughts and behaviors.

Thirdly there are Needs of Lov, Affection and Belongingness
Maslow states that people seek to overcome feelings of loneliness and
alienation.This involves both giving and receiving the above mentioned.

Next comes the Need for Esteem.
This becomes dominant when the other 3 levels are met. Humans have a need for a stable, firmly based, high level of self-respect, and respect from others. When these needs are satisfied, the person feels self-confident and valuable as a person in the world. When these needs are frustrated, the person feels inferior, weak, helpless and worthless.

Last but not least comes the Needs for Self-actualization.
self-actualization is only activated when all of the foregoing needs are met.
Maslow describes self-actualization as a person's need to be and do that which the person was "born to do." "A musician must make music, an artist must paint, and a poet must write." These needs make themselves felt in signs of restlessness. The person feels on edge, tense, lacking something, in short, restless. If a person is hungry, unsafe, not loved or accepted, or lacking self-esteem, it is very easy to know what the person is restless about. It is not always clear what a person wants when there is a need for self-actualization.
Maslow believes that the only reason that people would not move well in direction of self-actualization is because of hindrances placed in their way by society.


with reference to The Search for Understanding by Janet A. Simons, Donald B. Irwin and Beverly A. DrinnienWest Publishing Company, New York, 1987