Theories of Motivation: Learn It 3—Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

While the theories of motivation described earlier relate to basic biological drives, individual characteristics, or social contexts, Abraham Maslow (1943) proposed a hierarchy of needs that spans the spectrum of motives ranging from the biological to the individual to the social. These needs are often depicted as a pyramid (Figure 1).

A triangle is divided vertically into five sections with corresponding labels inside and outside of the triangle for each section. From top to bottom, the triangle's sections are labeled: “self-actualization” corresponds to “Inner fulfillment” “esteem” corresponds to “Self-worth, accomplishment, confidence”; “social” corresponds to “Family, friendship, intimacy, belonging”’ “security” corresponds to “Safety, employment, assets”; ““physiological” corresponds to “Food, water, shelter, warmth.”
Figure 1. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is illustrated here. In some versions of the pyramid, cognitive and aesthetic needs are also included between esteem and self-actualization. Others include another tier at the top of the pyramid for self-transcendence.

At the base of the pyramid are all of the physiological needs that are necessary for survival. These are followed by basic needs for security and safety, the need to be loved and to have a sense of belonging, and the need to have self-worth and confidence. The top tier of the pyramid is self-actualization, which is a need that essentially equates to achieving one’s full potential, and it can only be realized when needs lower on the pyramid have been met. To Maslow and humanistic theorists, self-actualization reflects the humanistic emphasis on positive aspects of human nature. Maslow suggested that this is an ongoing, life-long process and that only a small percentage of people actually achieve a self-actualized state (Francis & Kritsonis, 2006; Maslow, 1943).

According to Maslow (1943), one must satisfy lower-level needs before addressing those needs that occur higher in the pyramid. So, for example, if someone is struggling to find enough food to meet his nutritional requirements, it is quite unlikely that he would spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about whether others viewed him as a good person or not. Instead, all of his energies would be geared toward finding something to eat.

However, it should be pointed out that Maslow’s theory has been criticized for its subjective nature and its inability to account for phenomena that occur in the real world (Leonard, 1982). Other research has more recently addressed that late in life, Maslow proposed a self-transcendence level above self-actualization—to represent striving for meaning and purpose beyond the concerns of oneself (Koltko-Rivera, 2006). For example, people sometimes make self-sacrifices in order to make a political statement or in an attempt to improve the conditions of others. Mohandas K. Gandhi, a world-renowned advocate for independence through nonviolent protest, on several occasions went on hunger strikes to protest a particular situation. People may starve themselves or otherwise put themselves in danger displaying higher-level motives beyond their own needs.

Other Theories

You’ve learned about Maslow’s theory of motivation as well as instinct theory, drive theory, arousal theory, and the power of self-efficacy and social motives. There are lots of other theories about motivation—we are merely covering a few of the major ideas. Here are just a few others:

  • ERG Theory was introduced by Clayton Alderfer (1972) as an extension of the famous Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. In this theory, the Existence needs are at the base. These include the needs for things such as food, drink, shelter, and safety. Next come the Relatedness needs, the need to feel connected to other individuals or a group. These needs are fulfilled by establishing and maintaining relationships. At the top of the hierarchy are Growth needs, the needs for personal achievement and self-actualization. If a person is continuously frustrated in trying to satisfy growth needs, relatedness needs will re-emerge. This phenomenon is known as the frustration-regression process.
  • Need theory-David McClelland (1961) proposed a theory that breaks motivation into 3 categories: the Need for Achievement, the Need for Affiliation, and the Need for Power. The Need for Achievement refers to the notion of getting ahead and succeeding. The Need for Affiliation is the desire to be around people and be well-received socially. It also includes the desire for being a member in a group and conformity. The Need for Power is the desire for control over others and over yourself.
  • 16 Basic Desires Theory-starting from studies involving more than 6,000 people, Steven Reiss (2000) proposed that 16 basic desires guide nearly all human behavior. In this model, the basic desires that motivate our actions and define our personalities are:
    • Acceptance, the need for approval
    • Curiosity, the need to learn
    • Eating, the need for food
    • Family, the need to raise children
    • Honor, the need to be loyal to the traditional values of one’s clan/ethnic group
    • Idealism, the need for social justice
    • Independence, the need for individuality
    • Order, the need for organized, stable, predictable environments
    • Physical activity, the need for exercise
    • Power, the need for influence of will
    • Romance, the need for sex and for beauty
    • Saving, the need to collect
    • Social contact, the need for friends (peer relationships)
    • Social status, the need for social standing/importance
    • Tranquility, the need to be safe
    • Vengeance, the need to strike back and to compete
Which of these theories makes the most sense to you personally? As an example, think about your ideal career goal. What is it that motivates you to strive towards that goal?