Maslow's pyramid of needs
Maslow states that humans are motivated by unsatisfied needs and that certain lower needs need to be satisfied
before higher needs can be attended. He said that the general needs of physiological, safety, love, and esteem have
to be met and fulfilled before a person is able to act unselfishly. He categorized these needs as deficiency needs.
Until one satisfies these deficiency needs, whatever one does is selfish whether consciously or unconsciously.
When a person is able to fulfill these basic needs, s/he continues to move up the ladder of growth toward self
actualization. Self actualization is one of the deepest or highest levels of Maslow's pyramid of self growth. The
satisfaction of these needs are healthy while preventing their gratification without replacing them with something
healthy may create illness or evil acts in a person consciously or uncannily.
For adequate self discovery process, it is important that individuals understand which needs are active for them
and what creates their motivation in life in order to understand their intentions behind their behavior. This will help
them get more in tuned with their unconscious mind. Maslow's model indicates that basic, low-level needs such as
physiological requirements and safety must be satisfied before higher-level needs such as self-fulfillment are
pursued. As depicted in this hierarchical diagram, sometimes called 'Maslow's Needs Pyramid' or 'Maslow's Needs
Triangle', when a need is satisfied it no longer motivates and the next higher need takes its place.
Level 1: Biological and Physiological needs. Basic life needs like air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex,
homeostasis, breathing, water, excretions, etc.
Level 2: Safety needs. Protection, security, order, law, limits, stability, personal security, financial security, health
and well being, safety net against accidents/illness and adverse impacts.
Level 3: Belonging and love needs. Family, affection, relationships, work group, social/cultural/religious groups,
friendship, intimacy, having a supportive and communicative groups to belong to, giving and receiving love.
Level 4: Esteems needs met by external factors. Achievement, status, responsibility, reputation, recognition,
attention, social status.
Level 5: Esteems needs met by internal factors, accomplishment, self respect, inner sense of contentment with
one’s self.
Level 6: Self Actualization. Personal growth and fulfillment, truth, justice, wisdom, meaning in life, peak
experiences, energized, harmony, always finding opportunities to grow, striving for full potential, awareness of
self. According to Maslow, only 2% get to be here not because they cannot but because they get stuck at
fulfilling the lower needs.
Level 6 (deeper into it): Need for Aesthetics and knowledge. Maslow later added this as a part of self actualization
but further down that level. .
Level 7: Self Transformation. This is where the individual experiences the ultimate state of inner liberation being
free from the concept of "self" and living from being connected to something bigger. This is where the individual
gets free from anxious attachments, neediness, irrational thinking, unbalanced emotions, impulses, and being
dragged by the ego. Perhaps, something like what some of the prophets reported to have experienced.
It is important to note that this pyramid and the experiences related to each level are different for different
individuals. Different individuals may be capable of moving faster, slower, not at all, or jumping from one to the
other depending on their unique personalities, abilities, limitations, strengths, and innately born talents. In addition,
some individuals have the ability to replace an unmet need with something positive to fulfill its empty feeling. It all
goes back to the concept of self awareness, self discovery, and finding that unique way that works for each
individual.
Source: Roya Rohani Rad, MA, PsyD
June 2007
Copyright@2007RoyaRohaniRad
Maslow states that humans are motivated by unsatisfied needs and that certain lower needs need to be satisfied
before higher needs can be attended. He said that the general needs of physiological, safety, love, and esteem have
to be met and fulfilled before a person is able to act unselfishly. He categorized these needs as deficiency needs.
Until one satisfies these deficiency needs, whatever one does is selfish whether consciously or unconsciously.
When a person is able to fulfill these basic needs, s/he continues to move up the ladder of growth toward self
actualization. Self actualization is one of the deepest or highest levels of Maslow's pyramid of self growth. The
satisfaction of these needs are healthy while preventing their gratification without replacing them with something
healthy may create illness or evil acts in a person consciously or uncannily.
For adequate self discovery process, it is important that individuals understand which needs are active for them
and what creates their motivation in life in order to understand their intentions behind their behavior. This will help
them get more in tuned with their unconscious mind. Maslow's model indicates that basic, low-level needs such as
physiological requirements and safety must be satisfied before higher-level needs such as self-fulfillment are
pursued. As depicted in this hierarchical diagram, sometimes called 'Maslow's Needs Pyramid' or 'Maslow's Needs
Triangle', when a need is satisfied it no longer motivates and the next higher need takes its place.
Level 1: Biological and Physiological needs. Basic life needs like air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex,
homeostasis, breathing, water, excretions, etc.
Level 2: Safety needs. Protection, security, order, law, limits, stability, personal security, financial security, health
and well being, safety net against accidents/illness and adverse impacts.
Level 3: Belonging and love needs. Family, affection, relationships, work group, social/cultural/religious groups,
friendship, intimacy, having a supportive and communicative groups to belong to, giving and receiving love.
Level 4: Esteems needs met by external factors. Achievement, status, responsibility, reputation, recognition,
attention, social status.
Level 5: Esteems needs met by internal factors, accomplishment, self respect, inner sense of contentment with
one’s self.
Level 6: Self Actualization. Personal growth and fulfillment, truth, justice, wisdom, meaning in life, peak
experiences, energized, harmony, always finding opportunities to grow, striving for full potential, awareness of
self. According to Maslow, only 2% get to be here not because they cannot but because they get stuck at
fulfilling the lower needs.
Level 6 (deeper into it): Need for Aesthetics and knowledge. Maslow later added this as a part of self actualization
but further down that level. .
Level 7: Self Transformation. This is where the individual experiences the ultimate state of inner liberation being
free from the concept of "self" and living from being connected to something bigger. This is where the individual
gets free from anxious attachments, neediness, irrational thinking, unbalanced emotions, impulses, and being
dragged by the ego. Perhaps, something like what some of the prophets reported to have experienced.
It is important to note that this pyramid and the experiences related to each level are different for different
individuals. Different individuals may be capable of moving faster, slower, not at all, or jumping from one to the
other depending on their unique personalities, abilities, limitations, strengths, and innately born talents. In addition,
some individuals have the ability to replace an unmet need with something positive to fulfill its empty feeling. It all
goes back to the concept of self awareness, self discovery, and finding that unique way that works for each
individual.
Source: Roya Rohani Rad, MA, PsyD
June 2007
Copyright@2007RoyaRohaniRad
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