MASLOW'S NEED

HIERARCHY THEORY OF
MOTIVATION AND THE
BIG FIVE PERSONALITY
TRAITS

SUBMITTED BY
RISHAV RAJ

22GSOB1010035
Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising
a five-tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within a
Pyramid.

Needs lower down in the hierarchy must be satisfied before individuals can
attend to needs higher up. From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, the
needs are: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem and self
actualization.

Self Self-fulfillment
actualization: needs
achieving one's
full potential,
including creative
activities

Esteem needs:
prestige and feeling of accomplishment Psychological
needs
Belongingness and love needs:
intimate relationships, friends

Safety needs:
security, safety Basic
needs
Physiological needs:
food, water, warmth, rest
Deficiency needs vs. growth needs
This five-stage model can be divided into deficiency needs and growth needs.
The first four levels are often referred to as deficiency needs (D-needs), and
the top level is known as growth or being needs (B-needs).

Deficiency needs arise due to deprivation and are said to motivate people
when they are unmet. Also, the motivation to fulfill such needs will become
stronger the longer the duration they are denied. For example, the longer a
person goes without food, the more hungry they will become.

Maslow (1943) initially stated that individuals must satisfy lower level deficit
needs before progressing on to meet higher level growth needs. However, he
later clarified that satisfaction of a needs is not an "all-or-none" phenomenon,
admitting that his earlier statements may have given "the false impression that
a need must be satisfied 100 percent before the next need emerges" (1987, p.
69).

Motivation increases Being (growth)

as needs are met Self Needs
actualization

Motivation Esteem Deficiency

decreases Needs
as needs Love/belonging
are met
Safety
Physiological
When a deficit need has been 'more or less' satisfied it will go away, and our
activities become habitually directed towards meeting the next set of needs
that we have yet to satisfy. These then become our salient needs. However,
growth needs continue to be felt and may even become stronger once they
have been engaged.

Growth needs do not stem from a lack of something, but rather from a desire
to grow as a person. Once these growth needs have been reasonably satisfied,
one may be able to reach the highest level called self-actualization.

Every person is capable and has the desire to move up the hierarchy toward a
level of self-actualization. Unfortunately, progress is often disrupted by a
failure to meet lower level needs. Life experiences, including divorce and loss
of a job, may cause an individual to fluctuate between levels of the hierarchy.

Therefore, not everyone will move through the hierarchy in a uni-directional

manner but may move back and forth between the different types of needs.

The original hierarchy of needs five

stage model includes:
Maslow (1943, 1954) stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs
and that some needs take precedence over others.

Our most basic need is for physical survival, and this will be the first thing that
motivates our behavior. Once that level is fulfilled the next level up is what
motivates us, and so on.

The original hierarchy of needs five-stage model includes:

1. Physiological needs-these are biological requirements for
Human survival, e.g. air, food, drink, shelter, clothing, warmth, sex,
sleep.

If these needs are not satisfied the human body cannot function
optimally. Maslow considered physiological needs the most important
as all the other needs become secondary until these needs are met.

2. Safety needs -protection from elements, security, order, law,

stability, freedom from fear.

3. Love and belongingness needs -after physiological and safety

needs have been fulfilled, the third level of human needs is social and
involves feelings of belongingness. The need for interpersonal
relationships motivates behavior

Examples include friendship, intimacy, trust, and acceptance, receiving

and giving affection and love. Affiliating, being part of a group (family,
friends, work).

4. Esteem needs-which Maslow classified into two categories: (i)

esteem for oneself (dignity, achievement, mastery, independence) and
(i) the desire for reputation or respect from others (e.g., status,
prestige).

Maslow indicated that the need for respect or reputation is most

important for children and adolescents and precedes real self-esteem or
dignity.

5. Self-actualization needs -realizing personal potential, self

fulfillment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences. A desire "to
become everything one is capable of becoming" (Maslow, 1987, p. 64).
 Self-actualization
desire to become the most that one can be

Esteem
respect, self-esteem, status, recognition, strength, freedom

Love and belonging

friendship, intimacy, family, sense of connection

Safety needs
personal security, employment, resources, health, property

Physiological needs
air, water, food, shelter, sleep, clothing, reproduction

Maslow posited that human needs are arranged in a hierarchy:

"It is quite true that man lives by bread alone - when there is no bread.
But what happens to man's desires when there is plenty of bread and
when his belly is chronically filled?

At once other (and "higher") needs emerge and these, rather than
physiological hungers, dominate the organism. And when these in turn
are satisfied, again new (and still higher") needs emerge and so on. This
is what we mean by saying that the basic human needs are organized into
a hierarchy of relative prepotency" (Maslow, 1943, P. 375).

Maslow continued to refine his theory based on the concept of a hierarchy of

needs over several decades (Maslow, 1943, 1962, 1987).

Regarding the structure of his hierarchy, Maslow (1987) proposed that the
order in the hierarchy "is not nearly as rigid (p. 68) as he may have implied in
his earlier description.
Maslow noted that the order of needs might be flexible based on external
circumstances or individual differences. For example, he notes that for some
individuals, the need for self-esteem is more important than the need for love.
For others, the need for creative fulfillment may supersede even the most basic
needs.

Maslow (1987) also pointed out that most behavior is multi-motivated and
noted that "any behavior tends to be determined by several or all of the basic
needs simultaneously rather than by only one of them" (p. 71).

Hierarchy of needs summary

(a) needs human beings are motivated by a hierarchy of needs.

(b) needs are organized in a hierarchy of prepotency in which more

basic needs must be more or less met (rather than all or none) prior to
higher needs.

(c) the order of needs is not rigid but instead may be flexible based on
external circumstances or individual differences.

(d) most behavior is multi-motivated, that is, simultaneously

determined by more than one basic need.

The expanded hierarchy of needs

It is important to note that Maslow's (1943, 1954) five-stage model has been
expanded to include cognitive and aesthetic needs (Maslow, 197oa) and later
transcendence needs (Maslow, 1970b).

Changes to the original five-stage model are highlighted and include a seven
stage model and an eight-stage model; both developed during the 1960's and
1970s.
1. Biological and physiological needs - air, food, drink, shelter,
warmth, sex, sleep, etc.

2. Safety needs - protection from elements, security, order, law,

stability, etc.

3. Love and belongingness needs - friendship, intimacy, trust, and

acceptance, receiving and giving affection and love. Affiliating, being
part of a group (family, friends, work).

4. Esteem needs - which Maslow classified into two categories: (i)

esteem for oneself (dignity, achievement, mastery, independence) and
(ii) the desire for reputation or respect from others (e.g., status,
prestige).

5. Cognitive needs - knowledge and understanding, curiosity,

exploration, need for meaning and predictability.

6. Aesthetic needs - appreciation and search for beauty, balance, form,

etc.

7. Self-actualization needs - realizing personal potential, self

fulfill1ment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences.

8. Transcendence needs - A person is motivated by values which

transcend beyond the personal self (e.g., mystical experiences and
certain experiences with nature, aesthetic experiences, sexual
experiences, service to others, the pursuit of science, religious faith,
etc.).
 MASLOWS MOTIVATION MODEL

Needs
Growth

Transcendence

Self Actualization

Aesthetic Needs

Deficiency
Needs‘
Cognitive Needs
Esteem Needs

Belonging and Love Needs

Safety Needs

Physiological Needs

Self-actualization
Instead of focusing on psychopathology and what goes wrong with people,
Maslow (1943) formulated a more positive account of human behavior which
focused on what goes right. He was interested in human potential, and how we
fulfillthat potential.
Psychologist Abraham Maslow (1943, 1954) stated that human motivation is
based on people seeking fulfillment and change through personal growth. Self
actualized people are those who were fulfilled and doing all they were capable
of.
The growth of self-actualization (Maslow, 1962) refers to the need for personal
growth and discovery that is present throughout a person's life. For Maslow, a
person is always 'becoming' and never remains static in these terms. In self
actualization, a person comes to find a meaning to life that is important to
them.

As each individual is unique, the motivation for self-actualization leads people

in different directions (Kenrick et al., 2010). For some people self
actualization can be achieved through creating works of art or literature, for
others through sport, in the classroom, or within a corporate setting.

Maslow (1962) believed self-actualization could be measured through the

concept of peak experiences. This occurs when a person experiences the world
totally for what it is, and there are feelings of euphoria, joy, and wonder.
It is important to note that self-actualization is a continual process of
becoming rather than a perfect state one reaches of a 'happy ever after'
(Hoffman, 1988).

Maslow offers the following description of self-actualization:

'It refers to the person's desire for self-fulfillment, namely, to the

tendency for him to become actualized in what he is potentially.

The specific form that these needs will take will of course vary greatly
from person to person. In one individual it may take the form of the
desire to be an ideal mother, in another it may be expressed athletically,
and in still another it may be expressed in painting pictures or in
inventions' (Maslow, 1943,p. 382-383).
Characteristics of self-actualized
people
Although we are all, theoretically, capable of self-actualizing, most of us will
not do so, or only to a limited degree. Maslow (1970) estimated that only two
percent of people would reach the state of self-actualization.
He was especially interested in the characteristics of people whom he
considered to have achieved their potential as individuals.

By studying 18 people he considered to be self-actualized (including Abraham

Lincoln and Albert Einstein) Maslow (1970) identified 15 characteristics of a
self-actualized person.

Characteristics of self-actualizers:
1. They perceive reality efficiently and can tolerate uncertainty;
2. Accept themselves and others for what they are;
3. Spontaneous in thought and action;
4. Problem-centered (not self-centered);
5. Unusual sense of humor;
6. Able to look at life objectively;
7. Highly creative;
8. Resistant to enculturation, but not purposely unconventional;
9. Concerned for the welfare of humanity;
10. Capable of deep appreciation of basic life-experience;
11. Establish deep satisfying interpersonal relationships with a few people;
12. Peak experiences;
13. Need for privacy;
14. Democratic attitudes;
15. Strong moral/ethical standards.
Behavior leading to self-actualization:
(a) Experiencing life like a child, with full absorption and
concentration;
(b) Trying new things instead of sticking to safe paths;
(c) Listening to your own feelings in evaluating experiences instead of
the voice of tradition, authority or the majority;
(d) Avoiding pretense ('game playing') and being honest;
(e) Being prepared to be unpopular if your views do not coincide with
those of the majority;
() Taking responsibility and working hard;
(g) Trying to identify your defenses and having the courage to give
them up.

The characteristics of self-actualizers and the behaviors leading to self

actualization are shown in the list above. Although people achieve self
actualization in their own unique way, they tend to share certain
characteristics. However, self-actualization is a matter of degree, "There are
no perfect human beings' (Maslow,1970a, p. 176).

It is not necessary to display all 15 characteristics to become self-actualized,

and not only self-actualized people will display them.

Maslow did not equate self-actualization with perfection. Self-actualization

merely involves achieving one's potential. Thus, someone can be silly,
wasteful, vain and impolite, and still self-actualize. Less than two percent of
the population achieve self-actualization.
 Personality Traits of
Leaders

What type of personality traits

does it take to lead?

DERS

OVISORY
 SORY LE

Objectives

" Define personality traits

Describe and understand the "Big
Five Model of Personality"
" Review other common personality
traits in leaders
GTHEN
NG EXTE

LEADER
 Definitions
" Trait- Distinguishing personal
characteristics
Personality- a combination of traits that
classifies as individual's behavior

S G T H E G EXTE

YLEND
IsORY
 DVISOR LEADE&

The Big Modelof Personality

Surgency

Agreeableness Adjustment

G T H E NG EXTA

Conscientióusness Openness to
Experience
 Surgency
Leadership and extraversion traits.
- Interesting in getting ahead
-Leading through influencing
- Individuals are outgoing
-Likes to meet new people
- Willing to confront others
HENI
STREN ING EX

7soRY LEAD
 Agreeableness
" Traits related to getting along with others.
-Characteristics include warm, easygoing,
compassionate, friendly, and sociable.
- Individuals typically are sociable and have lots
of friends.

AENINGE
IIsORY EADENS

Adjustable

" Traits related to emotional stability.

-The fine line between stable and
unstable.
- Stable is being calm, good under
pressure, relaxed, and secure
- Unstable is nervous, poor under
pressure, insecure
ING EX

7sORY LEADE
 Conscientiousness
" Includes traits related to achievement.
- Traits include high credibility, conformity, and
organization.
- Individuals typically work hard and put in extra
time and effort to meet goals.

SGTHE.NING
EXTE
STRE
"
 PLEAD

Openness to Experience
" Trait related to being willing to change and
try new things.
- Individuals typically are willing to take
calculated risks.

GTHENJNG
ESTE
 Conclusions of the Big 5
" Many organizations use the "Big
Five Model of Personality."
It has universal application.
Leaders need to know their
personality type.
Best predictor of job performance
THENING EXTEN
GT is conscientiousness dimension.
ERS

LEADEB
 Effective Leader Traits
Dominance
Intelligence
Flexibility
High Energy
Stability
Locus of Control
Self Confidence
Sensitivity to Others Integrity
MENINGE

LEAD
 Derailed Leadership Traits
"Bullying Style
" Viewedas beingcold/arrogant
" Betrayed personal trust
" Self centered
" Unable to delegate
" Low performing organization
AENINGGEX,

E A D E R S

SORY L
 Conclusions
You don't have to have all these
traits
" You need to know your own self
" Know your strerngths / weaknesses
" Work on the weak points to get
better
ENING E