Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory of human motivation that arranges human needs in a hierarchy. It suggests that lower-level needs must be satisfied before higher-level needs can be pursued. The five levels of needs are physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. The model places these needs in a pyramid structure with physiological needs at the bottom and self-actualization at the top.

1. By: Heidi Tenney

2. What is it?

 A theory of human motivation
 His model places motivational needs in a hierarchy
and suggests that before more sophisticated, higher-
order needs can be met, certain primary needs must
be satisfied.
 He placed the more fundamental lower-order needs
at the base and the higher-order needs at the top.
 For a specific higher-order need to guide behavior, a
person must first fulfill the more basic needs in the
hierarchy.

3. Categories of Need

 Five categories of need include:
 Physiological needs
 Safety needs
 Love & belongingness
 Esteem
 Self-actualization

4. Physiological Needs

 The requirements for human survival.
 Usually the first needs to be met
 Located at the bottom of the pyramid
 The primary drives include:
 Water, food, sleep, & sex
 Example: If you are taking a road trip
and you get thirsty you usually stop
somewhere to get a drink.

5. Safety Needs

 The need for a safe & secure
environment.
 Can be met after physiological needs
are met
 Located second from the bottom
 Safety and Security needs include:
 Personal security, financial
security, health/well-being, & safety
nets against accidents/illness
 Example: People look both ways
before crossing the street & if they
don’t look before they don’t feel safe

6. Love & Belongingness

 The need to obtain & give
affection.
 Third layer of human needs on the
pyramid
 This need for belonging can often
override the physiological and
security needs.
 Humans need to love & be loved
by others-sexually & non-sexually
 Example: Children join gangs just
to feel like they fit in & have
friends.

7. Esteem

 The need to develop a sense of self-
worth by recognizing that others
know & valve one’s competence.
 Fourth layer of humans needs
 May participate in activities that
give them a sense of self-value
 Example: Even though she knows
she is pretty, a young girl does
modeling to get compliments on her
beauty which builds up her self-
esteem.

8. Self-Actualization

 A state of self-fulfillment in which
people realize their highest
potential, each in his or her own
unique way.
 Located at the top of the pyramid.
 Reaching self-satisfaction
 Example: A teenager plays football
all through high school & college to
become a professional football
player & after college he does, now
he is happy & satisfied with his life.

9. Resources/Works Citied

 http://changingminds.org/explanations/needs/ma
slow.htm
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarc
hy_of_needs
 http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersona
lity/a/hierarchyneeds.htm
 http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/conation
/maslow.html