For better understanding, the hierarchy of needs model, is represented as a pyramid. In this pyramid, the base is formed of the most basic needs. These are also known as the deficiency needs, which mean that these needs arise due to dearth. As these are basic needs, fulfilling them is important so as to evade undesirable consequences.
The Hierarchy of Needs Pyramid is a five-stage model that includes:
1. Biological or Physiological needs
These are the obvious basic biological needs and form the foundation of the hierarchy. They include the most important physiological or biological requirements that are crucial for our survival. For example, food, clothing, shelter, warmth, air, water, sex, sleep, etc. These satisfy ones’ basic needs of hunger, thirst, rest, regeneration of species and survival in simple sense.
2. Safety or Security needs
Once the biological needs are satisfied, the needs for self preservation become predominant. These include the needs like security, stability, protection from danger, law and order, etc. These also involve a sense of security against losing one’s job, against violence or against fear of material safety. The main areas that are considered in safety needs are financial stability, health protection and safety of family.
3. Love or Social needs
The next in line to be able to drive the human behavior are the social needs or a sense of belonging, attachments. These needs include the need to love, care, to have friends, family, affection, feeling of belonging, relationships, etc. These needs motivate humans to be accepted by other people, to have friends, groups, communities and choose to move around in people with similar interests like social groups, associations.
4. Esteem needs
This is comparatively a higher level in the hierarchy and includes the esteem needs according to which a person seeks recognition from others. These needs are important for a sense of self-respect, self-esteem, achievement, admiration, status, prestige, recognition, etc. Getting respect from others is an external appreciation that arises the inner feeling of prestige, reputation and builds self confidence. Some activities that a person can undertake are academic achievements, participation in group activities, personal hobbies and similar other activities that help in fulfilling the esteem needs.
5. Self-Actualization needs
According to Maslow, this is the last need as humans and he describes it as the full use and exploitation of talents or potential like realizing personal capacities, own potential, fulfillment and seeking personal growth.
This highest level of need is triggered when all the other needs in the hierarchy have been almost satisfied. Here people attempt to do the best that they are competent of doing. It is like searching the real self within and reaching a peak by realizing one’s own potential. This highest level of need, suggests that,
“What a man ‘can’ be ‘must’ be”
Self actualizing people are content, independent, creative, self aware, less concerned about others opinion and always strive to realize the true inner potential.
Maslow’s model is a general consideration and the needs, not necessarily always follow in order. For example, there can certain exceptions like a person may attempt to save a friend (social needs) by risking one’s life (safety needs). Sometimes even a self actualizing person may seek love and social needs to fill the vacuity of a near one.
