Maslow's hierarchy of needs facts for kids

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is often shown as a pyramid, with the most basic needs at the bottom.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a famous idea in psychology. It was created by an American psychologist named Abraham Maslow in 1943. He wrote about it in a paper called "A Theory of Human Motivation." Maslow later added more to his idea, including how humans are naturally curious.

This idea helps us understand what motivates people. It suggests that humans have different needs, and some needs are more basic than others. The theory divides needs into two main types: "deficiency needs" (things we lack) and "growth needs" (things that help us grow).

Even though it's often shown as a pyramid, Maslow himself never drew it that way. The idea is used in many areas like education, healthcare, and social work. It helps people understand why we do what we do.

Maslow used terms like "physiological" (body needs), "safety," "belonging and love," "esteem," "self-actualization" (reaching your full potential), and "transcendence" (going beyond yourself). He believed that for us to be motivated by the next level of needs, the ones before it usually need to be met first. The main goal in Maslow's idea is to reach self-actualization.

Even though it's popular, some experts still debate if Maslow's idea is completely true. One common point of discussion is whether a lower need must be fully met before moving to a higher one. Some evidence suggests that different needs can overlap and be important at the same time.

Understanding Maslow's Needs

Alternative illustration as a dynamic hierarchy of needs with overlaps of different needs at the same time

Simplified hierarchy of needs

Maslow's idea of needs is often shown as a pyramid. The biggest and most basic needs are at the bottom. Needs like self-actualization and transcendence are at the top. The main idea is that our most basic needs must be met first. Only then do we become motivated to achieve higher-level needs. Remember, Maslow himself never drew this pyramid.

The bottom four layers of the pyramid are what Maslow called "deficiency needs." These include esteem, friendship and love, security, and physical needs. If these needs are not met, a person might feel worried or tense. When we lack something, it motivates us to get it. Maslow believed that basic needs must be met before we strongly desire higher-level needs.

Our brains are complex, and many different motivations can happen at once. Maslow said that one need might "dominate" us at a time. He knew that different levels of motivation could happen together. But he focused on finding the basic types of motivation and the order they usually appear.

Basic Body Needs

These are the most basic needs for human survival. They are at the very bottom of Maslow's pyramid. According to Maslow, we must meet these needs first. If a person is struggling to meet these needs, they won't focus on other things. They won't look for safety, belonging, or self-esteem.

Basic body needs include:

• Air
• Water
• Food
• Heat
• Clothes
• Shelter
• Sleep
• Going to the bathroom

Meeting these needs helps our bodies stay balanced and healthy. For example, we need air more urgently than a sense of belonging. These needs are critical for the very basics of life. They make sure we don't feel too hungry or thirsty.

Feeling Safe and Secure

Once our basic body needs are met, our need for safety becomes important. This level is about feeling protected. If there's a war or a natural disaster, safety becomes the main focus. If someone doesn't have a job, they might worry about money.

Safety needs show up in many ways. People might want job security or savings accounts. Children especially need to feel safe. Adults also need safety, often related to money. This level includes having a home, a secure job, good health, and safe places to be. If you don't feel safe, you will try to find safety first. The goal of meeting safety needs is to have stability in your life.

Safety needs include:

• Health
• Personal security
• Emotional security
• Financial security

Love and Friendship Needs

After body and safety needs are met, the third level is about connecting with others. This is about feeling like you belong. Maslow said humans need to feel accepted by groups. These groups can be big or small. Being part of a group is important. This could be a club, a sports team, or your family.

Feeling like you belong means you are comfortable and connected to others. It comes from being accepted, respected, and loved. Humans need to love and be loved. Without this, people can feel lonely or sad. This need is very strong when we are children. Not having these needs met can make it hard to form relationships later.

Social belonging needs include:

• Family
• Friendship
• Intimacy
• Trust
• Acceptance
• Giving and receiving love

Sometimes, the need to belong can be stronger than safety needs. This might happen because of peer pressure. For some people, self-esteem is more important than belonging. For others, being creative might be more important than even basic needs.

Esteem and Respect

Esteem is about respect. It means respecting yourself and getting respect from others. Most people need stable self-esteem. This means it's based on real abilities and achievements. Maslow talked about two types of esteem needs.

The "lower" type is the need for respect from others. This can include wanting status, recognition, or attention. The "higher" type is the need for self-respect. This includes needing strength, skill, confidence, and freedom. These two types of esteem are connected.

Esteem comes from our daily experiences. These experiences help us learn about ourselves. It's very important for children to have chances to learn. Adults should help children feel capable and successful. This helps children see themselves as respectable and able. Maslow also said that the need for respect from others is very important for children. It comes before true self-esteem.

Wanting to Learn and Understand

After esteem needs, people have cognitive needs. These are about wanting to learn, understand, and be curious. People who enjoy thinking and solving problems have a strong need for cognition. This need makes us want to learn and gain knowledge. From an education point of view, Maslow wanted people to be motivated to learn on their own.

Appreciating Beauty

After meeting cognitive needs, people move to aesthetic needs. This means wanting to make your life more beautiful. It's about being able to see and appreciate beauty in the world. Maslow believed that to reach your full potential, you need to experience beautiful things. This could be enjoying nature or art. This higher need to connect with nature can make you feel close to it. It's also about improving your physical appearance to feel balanced.

Reaching Your Full Potential

"What a man can be, he must be." This quote explains the need for self-actualization. This level is about reaching your full potential. Maslow described it as wanting to achieve everything you can. It's about becoming the best you can be. For example, someone might want to be a great parent. Or they might want to be a successful athlete or artist.

To reach this level, a person needs to have met and mastered the previous needs. Self-actualization is like a goal. The earlier stages in Maslow's idea are the steps to get there. People who are motivated by self-actualization understand how their needs and relationships affect their behavior.

Self-actualization needs include:

• Finding a partner
• Being a parent
• Using and developing your talents
• Working towards your goals

Going Beyond Yourself

Maslow later added another level to his pyramid: self-transcendence. This is also called spiritual needs. These needs are different because they can be met in many ways. When this need is met, it can make you feel whole. It can make you feel connected to something bigger than yourself.

In his later years, Maslow thought more about this. He said that you find your fullest self by giving to something beyond yourself. This could be through helping others or through spiritual beliefs. He linked this to wanting to reach the infinite. Transcendence means reaching the highest levels of human awareness. It's about connecting to yourself, others, nature, and the whole universe.

How the Idea Started

Maslow's hierarchy of needs began when Maslow studied monkeys. He noticed how they behaved based on their needs.

Some people think Maslow's ideas might have been influenced by the Blackfeet tribe. He spent time with them in 1938. However, there is no proof that he took ideas for his hierarchy from them. He first published his idea in 1943.

Maslow explained his idea more in his 1954 book Motivation and Personality. When he first published it in 1943, there wasn't much scientific proof for the theory.

What People Say About It

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is very popular. Many people feel it explains things they see in themselves and others. But in academic studies, Maslow's idea is still debated. Recent research shows that humans do have universal needs. And they often try to meet them in a similar order. But the exact pyramid Maslow proposed is questioned.

One common criticism is that it suggests everyone will make the same choices in the same situation. But people are driven by unique things. Their behavior can't always be predicted by Maslow's ideas.

How it was Studied

Maslow studied people like Albert Einstein and Eleanor Roosevelt. He did not study people with mental health issues. He believed that studying unhealthy people would only lead to an "unhealthy psychology."

Different Orders of Needs

In 1976, a review of Maslow's hierarchy found little proof for the exact order of needs. It also questioned if a clear hierarchy even exists. Many studies at the time did not support Maslow's specific ranking.

In 1984, some people said Maslow's order might be ethnocentric. This means it might be based too much on one culture. They argued it didn't explain differences between people from individualistic societies (focused on self) and collectivist societies (focused on group). In individualistic societies, self-actualization might be the top goal. But in collectivist societies, acceptance and community might be more important than freedom.

People also criticized the theory for not considering individualism and collectivism in spiritual needs.

Needs Change with Situations

The idea that higher needs (self-esteem, self-actualization) and lower needs (body, safety, love) are always separate is not universal. It can change based on culture and resources.

A 1997 study in the US found two main levels of needs during peacetime: survival (body and safety) and psychological (love, self-esteem, self-actualization). But during wartime, the needs changed. Body needs and safety needs became separate. For people in the Middle East, the needs also changed during wartime.

A study in Asia found differences in the order of needs. For example, community (related to belonging) was found to be the highest need in Asia. Self-acceptance and growth came next.

A 1981 study looked at how Maslow's hierarchy might change with age. They found that children had higher physical needs. Love needs grew from childhood to young adulthood. Esteem needs were highest in teenagers. Young adults had the highest self-actualization. Older people had the highest need for security. This suggests that Maslow's hierarchy might not be a perfect theory for how needs develop over a lifetime.

See also

In Spanish: Pirámide de Maslow para niños