When we talk about human needs, it is clear that there are some needs that we all share and others that are different. These needs motivate us and lead us to act in certain ways and can be organized hierarchically, as we see represented in Maslow’s pyramid..
This famous theory of the humanist psychologist Abraham Maslow organizes human needs according to their importance for our well-being. for our well-being. It is the preferred tool of marketing people because, among other things, it justifies the way we consume. We tell you all about it below.
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What is Maslow’s Pyramid
Behind every act we perform there is a human need that motivates it, but not all these needs are equal or have the same relevance for us. In fact, as we satisfy our most basic and human needsIn fact, as we satisfy our most basic and human needs, we create new needs that are higher than the previous ones.
At least this is what Maslow’s Pyramid, named after the humanist psychologist Abraham Maslow, established it. It was theorized in 1943 and is still today one of the most widely used tools in psychology, sociology and marketing.
Abraham Maslow was a psychologist very different from those of his time, as most focused on studying problem behaviors and passive learning (school of psychoanalysis or behaviorism), while Maslow focused on studying and learning what makes people happy and ultimately, improves our self-fulfillment and our well-being.r.
In this sense Maslow, as a good humanist, considered that all people have an innate power that directs us to be what we want to be and to realize ourselves personally. Moreover, we are fully capable of achieving our goals, as long as we are in an environment conducive to it.
The pyramid of needs created by Abraham Maslow.
Source:
Wikimedia Commons
Hierarchy of human needs
These objectives, which we can also call human needs to be satisfied, are fulfilled in the following ways our path to self-fulfillmentThese needs change as we satisfy the most basic needs and increase in complexity as we climb Maslow’s pyramid.
This hierarchy of human needs formulated by Maslow and expressed in the form of a pyramid begins by placing at the base of the pyramid the most basic human needs. It increases in complexity in 5 types of needs as it moves towards the top, where we find self-fulfillment. These are the 5 needs of Maslow’s pyramid:
1. Physiological needs.
They are at the base of Maslow’s pyramid and are the first and most basic of human needs, as they are related to survival and are the most basic needs. related to survival and are the innate biological needs of any person. of any person. We are talking about breathing, sleeping, feeding, drinking water, disposal, having an adequate body temperature, avoiding pain and sex.
There is no way to formulate other types of needs if we have not been able to satisfy our physiological needs for survival.
2. Safety and security needs
Once we have managed to meet our physiological human needs, we give way to a second type of needs and climb a position in Maslow’s pyramid, in which we find those related to safety and security.
In this stratum we need to ensure our personal safety and what guarantees it; this translates into stability, order, physical and health security, job security for income and resources, family, moral and private property security.
3. Affiliation and affection needs
Now that we have a roof over our heads, good health, income and resources, we can contemplate other types of needs that are related to our emotional side. needs that are related to our affective side.. This means affection, the sense of belonging to a social group and love.
As humans we seek to relate, to belong to a group, a family and a community. That is why in this stage of Maslow’s pyramid we find everything that generates affective bonds such as friendship, partnership, familiarity and those groups with which we relate.
4. Needs for recognition and esteem
The next step of Maslow’s pyramid and the hierarchy of human needs is focused on everything that forms our self-esteem and has to do with recognition by others and our own recognition.
In other words, are the needs to feel good based on our self-image and our self-esteem. and those aspects of ourselves that we see according to the way others treat us.
- Related article: “The 4 types of self-esteem: definition and characteristics”.
Maslow divides this type of needs into two groups: Low recognition and esteem, which has to do with respect, status, dignity, attention, reputation, fame and glory; and high recognition and esteem, which has to do with the need for self-respect, self-esteemThe other is the need for self-respect, self-esteem, freedom, independence, self-confidence and achievement.
5. Self-realization needs
The last of the human needs according to Maslow’s pyramid, which we only get after having covered the 4 previous ones, is self-actualization, also called “growth motivation” or “need to be”. or “need to be”.
Here we find self-realization, which we justify because we manage to give meaning to our life through the potential development of some internal activity, which can be moral, spiritual development, helping others or selfless acts, among others. There are those who say that it is the part of the pyramid that not all reach.
- Related article: “The 9 stages of life that a person goes through”.