The hierarchy of needs of A. Maslow, the most famous modern American economist, has become widespread throughout the world. According to his theory, any human "appetite" develops from the lowest to the highest. First, the individual must fully satisfy his needs of the lower level. Only then can his needs be transferred to higher ones.
What is this theory?
Maslow's hierarchy of needs is one of the most popular theories of motivation. According to her, all human needs can be placed in a kind of "pyramid". This is done as follows. At the bottom, at the very bottom of the "pyramid," we have the most important of human needs. Without their satisfaction, the biological existence of people becomes practically impossible. At higher levels of the "pyramid" are needs that characterize a person as a social being and as a separate person.
Steps
Although Maslow's hierarchy of needs was created in the 40s, today it is still very relevant. A famous American economist, he argued that people have a lot of different needs. But, he also believed that they can all be divided into five levels. In more detail, this idea was developed by a contemporary Maslow, a psychologist from Harvard, Murray. This theory consists in the following.
1. Physiological needs. They are necessary for our survival. This includes hunger, thirst, the need for shelter and rest, sex.
2. Safety (protection from pain, fear, anger) and confidence in the future. These are needs for protection from dangers of a physical and psychological nature from the side of the world around us. Confidence that our physiological needs in the future will also be satisfied.
3. Social needs - this concept includes a sense of belonging to someone or what, a feeling that others accept you. It is a feeling of affection, social interaction and support. Needs: in love, family, friends, communication.
4. The need for approval. This includes self-esteem, the need for competence, personal achievements, recognition of others. It is also a career, prestige, success, personal growth.
5. Spiritual needs: cognition, self-expression, self-actualization, self-identification.
If desired, Maslow's hierarchy of needs can be supplemented by material and spiritual needs, irrational and rational, conscious and unconscious, indirect and direct, etc.
Percentage ratio
The needs located on the first level are physiological: in food, rest, warmth, comfort, etc. They are inherent in absolutely every person. When they are completely satisfied, the needs located at higher levels of the pyramid become relevant. In percentage terms, this is as follows.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs implies that a person feels the need for security and order, if his physiological needs are satisfied by at least 85%. People begin to want friendship, respect, approval, recognition and love, if their need for security is 70% satisfied. For us to want self-esteem, which means freedom of action, the achievement of a certain social status, our social needs must also be provided by 70%.
Satisfying the need for self-esteem by 60%, we begin to wish for self-actualization, self-expression, realization of our potential. According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, it is precisely this level that is most difficult to achieve and fully satisfy oneself while being on it. Even reaching 40% of the level of self-actualization, we feel happy, but only 1-4% of the world's population achieve this.