The idea of the hierarchy of needs was first proposed by psychologist Abraham Maslow in 1943. According to Maslow, the basic human needs must be satisfied first, before the psychological needs, and lastly, the self-fulfillment needs (Aruma & Hanachor, 2017). This essay will look at the five basic assumptions of motivation according to Maslow and discuss each hierarchy level. Early studies suggested that a lower hierarchy level had to be achieved before a higher one, but recent studies show that the levels overlap each other.
To come up with the hierarchy of needs, Maslow made five basic assumptions. First, he argued that the needs of people control their behavior (Stoyanov, 2017). This means that if an individual needs something, their behavior will be almost similar to those with the same needs but different from those who need to fulfill another need. Second, he claimed that the needs are hierarchical and that they will first fulfill the basic wants before going to higher-level wants (Stoyanov, 2017). If the behavior, for instance, was focused on achieving self-actualization, those who lack food, will go back to the basics, which are physiological needs. The theory contradicts biblical scriptures, especially Matthew chapter six verse 33, which requires the only motivation to connect with the heavenly father (McCleskey & Ruddell, 2020). All other needs are fulfilled once Christians have a relationship with the Heavenly Father. Therefore, Maslow’s theory of motivation is not supported by Biblical cannons.
If a need has been satisfied, such as safety, the individual will not be motivated by it, but a higher want will surface to motivate them, for instance, esteem needs. Moreover, Maslow argued that an individual would only move to a higher level in the hierarchy when a preceding need has been fully satisfied (Stoyanov, 2017). Maslow also made it clear that the needs cut across all cultures and societies since all humans are deficient in the same wants, behaviors, and motivation will cut across the globe.
The lowest of the most basic of the needs are the physiological needs. These are the biological requirements for survival and include food, water, sex, breathing air, and all other needs that became secondary to this (Aruma & Hanachor, 2017). Without these, an individual will not survive, and thus they will always seek to satisfy them.
After the physiological needs are satisfied, safety wants that make an individual feel free from any harm are next. These needs include shelter and a healthy and safe environment. An infant’s example of how they react to danger may confirm that this need is basic (Aruma & Hanachor, 2017). Third, in the hierarchy, there is the need to feel loved and have a sense of belonging. Maslow proposed that an individual will be motivated to this if both physiological and safety needs have been gratified. The individual will try to form friendships and family and feel part of a group or a community.
The fourth level is esteem needs meaning the desire to feel respected and appreciated. An individual will feel the desire to feel self-respect from others and thus, as Maslow says, will seek strength, attention, and appreciation (Stoyanov, 2017). The last level, which is the fifth one, is self-actualization. Maslow described this in his paper as ‘what a man can be, he must be,’ saying that these individuals seek to maximize their full potential as human beings. If one is a singer, he/she must sing so that they may be satisfied, and the same holds for writers and all other interests for which a person is fitted.
References
Aruma, E. O., & Hanachor, M. E. (2017). Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and assessment of needs in community development. International Journal of Development and Economic Sustainability, 5(7), 15-27.
McCleskey, J. A., & Ruddell, L. (2020). Taking a step back—Maslow’s theory of motivation: A Christian critical perspective. Journal of Biblical Integration in Business, 23(1). Web.
Stoyanov, S. (2017). An analysis of Abraham H. Maslow’s a theory of human motivation. CRC Press.