Maslow’s Hierarchy

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs consists of 5 levels of needs.  At the bottom, you will find physiological (necessities such as shelter, food, and water), followed by safety (security and safety in our environment), love/belonging (relationships and a feeling of being accepted), esteem (Self-confidence), and at the top, self-actualization (achieving the level of potential you desire). Maslow believed our motivation comes from these needs being met in order and that “people could not focus on the needs higher up the pyramid until they had mostly obtained the needs in the lower levels”.  (West. M. 2022).

Relevance

Maslow’s hierarchy has been studied and researched for many years and has a fair share of skeptics.  Some have stated that the hierarchy is too rigid and should be adjusted in different situations, or it does not represent all cultures.  Many believe the framework is helpful, but they challenge the thought that you cannot proceed through the hierarchy without meeting the previous level.  Some have argued there should be more levels as well.

 While there are skeptics and critics, in most cases, “Maslow’s hierarchy of needs continues to be widely popular and mostly well-accepted, but the available evidence does not necessarily support Maslow’s theory.” (Cherry, K. 2023).  When thinking about my personal/professional experiences, I believe the hierarchy is relevant.  I do believe there may be adjustments in certain situations, or some levels could be interchangeable.  For example, one may not feel a sense of security without a feeling of belonging or acceptance so it would be impossible for them to move past security without first meeting their belonging needs.  Self-confidence or esteem may come to some easier for some than others which means they may not need a sense of belonging or security to feel esteem. 

In my current role, I manage college interns, and at times it can be hard to find the correct level of motivation within them.  I have referred back to Maslow’s hierarchy at times and asked questions to determine whether we are missing something.  Sleep has been a roadblock in several instances.  Sleep would fall under physiological needs and if you are not getting adequate rest, you may be stuck at the bottom of the pyramid.  In other situations, I have seen some struggle with the belonging need.  They may be struggling with relationships or workload which makes them feel as though they are not part of the group.  When this happens, it is important to help them find ways to be more involved which then helps them build self-confidence. 

Summary

With the hierarchy levels helping to increase motivation, it may not be a one-size-fits-all for every situation or every person, but it is a terrific framework to help find the root cause.  The hierarchy is a very simple way of determining what people need but it may not always be their only source of motivation.  I think continuing to use the hierarchy as a starting point cannot hurt but it is also important to use caution and understand there may be other things in play. 

References:

West, M. 2022. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Uses and Criticisms.  Medical News Today.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid: Uses and criticism (medicalnewstoday.com)

Cherry, K.  2023.  Is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Still Relevant?  Verywellmind

Is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Still Relevant? (verywellmind.com)