Explanation of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory is one of the theories of humanistic science. It was developed by American psychologist Abraham Maslow in Proposed in 1943 in the paper "Theory of Human Motivation". The book divides human needs into five levels from low to high like a ladder, namely: physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs and self-actualization needs.

Theoretical analysis of Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory

1. The five needs are like a ladder, ascending from low to high, level by level, but this order is not completely fixed. It can vary, and there are various exceptions.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory

2. The hierarchy of needs theory has two basic starting points. One is that everyone has needs. After a certain level of need is satisfied, another level of need will The second is to first satisfy the urgent needs before multiple needs are satisfied; after the needs are satisfied, the subsequent needs will show their motivating effect.

3. Generally speaking, when a certain level of need is relatively satisfied, it will develop to a higher level, and the pursuit of a higher level of need becomes the driving force for behavior. Accordingly, the need to obtain basic satisfaction ceases to be a motivating force.

4. The five needs can be divided into two levels. Physiological needs, safety needs and emotional needs are all lower-level needs. These needs can be satisfied through external conditions; The need for respect and the need for self-actualization are high-level needs. They can be satisfied through internal factors, and a person's need for respect and self-actualization is endless. At the same time, a person may have several needs, but in each period there is always one need that dominates and determines behavior. No need will disappear due to the development of higher-level needs. Needs at each level are interdependent and overlapping. After the development of high-level needs, low-level needs still exist, but their impact on behavior is greatly reduced.

5. Maslow and other behavioral psychologists believe that the hierarchy of needs of most people in a country is consistent with the country’s economic development level, scientific and technological development level, culture and people’s education. directly related to the degree. In developing countries, physiological needs and safety needs dominate a larger proportion of people, while advanced needs dominate a smaller proportion; in developed countries, the opposite is true.

Theoretical application of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory

1. Application of physiological needs

Physiological needs (Physiological needs), also Call the lowest level and most advantageous needs, such as: food, water, air, sexual desire, and health.

Characteristics of unsatisfied physiological needs: not thinking about anything, just wanting to survive, thinking ability and moral values ??become obviously fragile. For example: When a person is in desperate need of food, he will do whatever it takes to grab it. When people are at war, they don't line up to get bread. It is assumed that people work for compensation and subordinates are motivated by physiological needs.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory

Incentive measures: increase wages, improve working conditions, give more spare time and breaks, and improve welfare benefits. [6]

2. Application of safety needs

Safety needs are also low-level needs, including personal safety, life stability, and freedom from pain and threats. or disease, etc.

Characteristics of lack of security: Feeling threatened by things around you, feeling that the world is unfair or dangerous. Thinking that everything is dangerous, becoming nervous, hesitant, and thinking that everything is "evil".

For example: a child is bullied by classmates and treated unfairly by teachers at school, and begins to distrust this society, and becomes afraid to express himself or have a social life (because he thinks social interaction is dangerous), and Use this to protect your own safety. An adult, whose job is not going well, whose salary is meager, and who cannot support his family, becomes self-defeating and uses drinking and smoking every day to find a short-term sense of comfort.

Incentive measures: Emphasis on rules and regulations, job security, and welfare benefits, and protect employees from unemployment. Provide medical insurance, unemployment insurance, and retirement benefits to avoid confusion caused by employees receiving double instructions. [6]

3. Application of social needs

Social needs (Love and belonging needs) are higher-level needs, such as the need for friendship, love and affiliation.

Characteristics of lack of social needs: Because you do not feel the care of people around you, you think you are worthless in this world. For example: a teenager who has not been cared about by his parents thinks that he has no value in the family, so he makes friends at school and actively looks for friends or similar people regardless of morality and rationality. For example: In order to integrate themselves into the social circle, teenagers do things for others, even smoke, play pranks, etc.

Incentive measures: Provide opportunities for social interaction among colleagues, support and praise employees to find and establish harmonious and warm interpersonal relationships, and carry out organized sports competitions and group gatherings. [4]

IV. Application of Esteem Needs

Esteem needs are higher-level needs, such as achievement, reputation, status and promotion opportunities. Esteem needs include both personal feelings of achievement or self-worth and the recognition and respect of others.

Characteristics of being unable to satisfy the need for respect: becoming very face-conscious, or actively using actions to make others recognize themselves, and being easily attracted by vanity. For example: using violence to prove one's strength, studying hard to become a doctor or lawyer to prove one's existence and value in this society, rich people making money or donating money for their own fame and fortune.

Incentive measures: Public rewards and recognition, emphasizing the arduousness of work tasks and the superb skills required for success, awarding medals of honor, publishing articles in company publications to praise, and listing outstanding employees on the honor list. [6]

5. Application of self-actualization needs

Self-actualization needs (Self-actualization) are the highest level needs, including the needs for attaining the highest realm of life of truth, goodness and beauty. Therefore, Only when the first four needs can be met can the highest-level needs be generated one after another. It is a derivative need, such as self-realization, potential development, etc.

Characteristics of a lack of self-actualization needs: feeling that one's life is driven by a sense of emptiness, and having to do things that a person should do in this world. There is a great need for someone who can Things that enrich oneself, especially things that allow a person to deeply experience that he has not lived in this world in vain. I also began to believe that values ??and moral values ??are better than money, love, respect and social prejudice. For example: A person who sincerely donates to help others. A martial artist or athlete trains his physical ability to the extreme to make himself world-class or simply to surpass himself. An entrepreneur truly believes that the business he runs can bring value to society, and works to be better than yesterday.

Incentives: Use strategies to adapt to complex situations when designing work, assign special tasks to people with expertise, and leave room for subordinates when designing work and executing plans. [4]

6. Application of Super Self-Actualization

Super-self-realization (Over Actualization) is a theory proposed by Maslow in his later years.

This is a short-term "peak experience" that occurs when a person's psychological state fully satisfies the need for self-realization. It is usually deeply experienced when executing or completing a thing. This feeling usually occurs in artists or musicians. For example, a musician feels a selfless experience when playing music. When an artist is drawing, he cannot feel the passage of time. Every minute he is drawing is as fast as a second to him, but each second is more fulfilling than a week. [6]