At one time, the American psychologist A. Maslow was able to clearly identify and display schematically, and in a hierarchical order, all human needs. Currently, this pyramid of needs is used in many areas of our lives and, it is worth noting, quite successfully.
But, before moving on to practice, let us nevertheless consider the theoretical side of this issue. If you look at the diagram of A. Maslow, then it looks as follows. At the very top of the pyramid are physiological needs. Then, according to the theory of the American psychologist, security comes. The third position belongs to something or love. Then comes respect. The pyramid of needs ends with self-expression. This stage can be divided into self-actualization, aesthetic needs and cognition.
What is included in each of these items? According to the idea of A. Maslow, first of all, a person seeks to satisfy all his physiological needs, which is fully consistent with reality. Well, agree for yourself, the desire to eat well or quench your thirst prevails over everyone else. And here you can’t even argue.
Here is a simple example from life: if a person is very hungry or is unbearably thirsty, he will give up all his activities, no matter how urgent they are, and go to drink or have a bite. Or here is another example. Ask yourself this question: what are you working for? The answer that will be voiced, if not all, then many: to eat well and so on. Note that most of the income is usually spent on food.
The pyramid of needs is something that in real life we completely ignore, but live according to this theory. Let’s go further and think about what we are striving for after we achieve complete and stable satisfaction of all physiological needs. If at this stage we have done everything possible, there is a desire to provide ourselves with a comfortable and safe life, moreover, under constant conditions. Maslow called these needs existential and put them in second place. Tell me, was he wrong? Of course not. And now, perhaps, everyone will agree with this statement.
But, as soon as your existence becomes safe, you will go further, not wanting to stop there. The fact is that a person by nature is not able to live alone. He constantly needs communication with others, as well as communication at the social level.
The pyramid of needs puts this human aspiration on the third stage, and this is nothing more than social status. Having achieved this status, a person tirelessly seeks to receive recognition from other people who are also not without such aspirations.
The pyramid of human needs, developed by A. Maslow, in this context considers career development, achievement of high marks, success and the like. Being at the peak of all of the above, a person suddenly feels that he deserves more. But, it would seem, what else is missing? But no, the needs for this do not exhaust themselves.
And this clearly reflects the pyramid of human needs, however, like real life. At this stage, a person begins to crave spiritual self-expression, a kind of self-actualization.
It is worth noting that life dictates its own conditions. And it doesn’t always happen that the steps follow each other in the sequence that the American psychologist presented it. Sometimes it happens that some stage falls out or is completely absent. After all, as you know, there are no rules without exceptions. However, the pyramid of needs that A. Maslow could sketch out is considered the starting point. And it’s hard to disagree!