Abraham Maslow's pyramid
Hierarchy of Needs
Abraham Maslow's pyramid is associated with the hierarchy of needs theory that Maslow
originated circa 1943. According to this theory the most basic need is related
to physiological survival - air to breate, water to drink, food to eat and sex to
procreate.
Next in order of precedence comes a set of needs for such
things as safety and security.
Once an individual has taken care of his or her basic
physiological needs and feels safe and secure some degree of need
for love and belonging may well rise to the forefront of their
concerns.
Need for the respect of our fellow's, and for self-respect,
are seen as being next in order of precedence.
Maslow referred to the four levels of need already mentioned as deficit needs, or D-needs.
If you don't have enough of something -- i.e. you have a deficit -- you feel the need.
Maslow saw all these needs as essentially survival needs. Even love and esteem are
needed for the maintenance of health.
The last level of the pyramid is a bit different. Maslow used a variety of terms to refer to this
level:- growth motivation (in contrast to deficit motivation), being
needs (or B-needs, in contrast to D-needs), and self-actualization.
People might particularly try to realise their being needs once they have enough of food, security, belonging
and respect but!!! enough of self-actualization is harder to
attain. In point of fact self-actualization is seen as being somewhat
addictive, once experienced it is something that people tend to
want more and more of! Moreover people can only really pay
attention to self-actualization needs once their more basic needs
are satisfactorally met!
Abraham Maslow considered that very few people actually live,
move, and have their being, within the realms of such
self-actualization - mainly because people are generally involved
in meeting the other needs already outlined.
Several things are associable with "self-actualization" - being
independently confident in meeting life's challenges - in
choosing between that which is more and that which is less
worthwhile - and in feeling that one's time has been used
creatively and inventively.
The Abraham Maslow hierarchy of need theory was later adapted to include a
greater complexity in the area of self-actualisation. Under this
adaption human needs included a thirst for knowledge and a need
for aesthetical order and beauty prior to self-actualization and
a "Transcendence" need beyond self-actualization where people
would feel a need to help others to find fulfillment.
Is Human Being more truly Metaphysical than Physical?
Where this could, possibly, lead ...
N. B. The page mentioned in the graphic ~ roots.asp ~
has been replaced by this page
This 'knot of roots' insight features in: