Maslow's

hierarchy
Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)

By: Dr. Anupam Sharma

Assistant Professor

Copyright 2013-2014
School of Humanities & Social Sciences
Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology

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 Motivation
Motivation is the process that account for an individual’s
intensity, direction and persistence of effort toward
attaining a goal.
Intensity: is concerned with how hard a person tries.
Direction: towards right path
Persistence: long term determination towards goal
achievement.

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 Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs
There is a hierarchy of five needs. As each need is substantially satisfied, the
next need becomes dominant.
Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)
Assumptions
• Individuals cannot move to the
Self-Actualization
Higher Order next higher level until all needs at
the current (lower) level are
Internal Esteem satisfied
• Must move in hierarchical order
Social

Lower Order Safety

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External Physiological

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• A hierarchy of five needs- physiological, safety, social,
esteem, and self- actualization, as each need is satisfied, the
next need becomes dominant.
• Lower-order needs: needs that are satisfied externally,
such as physiological and safety needs.
• Higher-order needs: needs that are satisfied internally,
such as social, esteem, and self-actualization needs.
• Lower level needs are more dominant. Higher level needs
arise only when the needs at the lower have been satisfied.

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Satisfaction of one need level may not decrease it’s
importance, but increase importance of next level
needs.
Hierarchy of needs differs across cultures.
Needs vary according to:
A person’s career stage.
Organizational size.
Geographic location.

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Physiological Needs

This includes hunger, clothing and

shelter needs.

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PHYSIOLOGICAL OR SURVIVAL NEEDS
Safety Needs
Security and protection from physical and
emotional harm.

SAFETY NEEDS

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PHYSIOLOGICAL OR SURVIVAL NEEDS
Social Needs

Affection, belonginess, acceptance and

friendship.
Social NEEDS

SAFETY NEEDS

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PHYSIOLOGICAL OR SURVIVAL NEEDS
Esteem Needs
Internal factors such as self-respect
and achievement, external factors
such as status, recognition and
achievements.
ESTEEM NEEDS

Social
NEEDS
SAFETY NEEDS

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PHYSIOLOGICAL OR SURVIVAL NEEDS
 NEED
FOR Man's tendency to actualize himself,
SELF- to become what he can
ACTUALIZATION

Self Actualization: drive to become what

one is capable of becoming includes growth,
achieving one’s potential and self
achievement.
The highest level need of Human being is that

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of self- actualization, i.e. ‘to become
everything one is capable of becoming’.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs-
Modified
Self actualization

Aesthetic needs

Cognitive needs

Esteem

Belongingness and love needs

Safety

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Physiological

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Cognitive needs: Maslow believed that humans have the need to increase their
intelligence. Cognitive needs is the expression of the natural human need to learn,
explore, discover and create to get a better understanding of the world around them.

Aesthetic needs: Based on Maslow’s beliefs, humans need to refresh themselves in the
presence and beauty of nature while carefully absorbing and observing their
surroundings to extract the beauty that the world has to offer. This need is a higher
level need to relate in a beautiful way with the environment and leads to the beautiful
feeling of intimacy with nature and everything beautiful.

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 Characteristics of Self-Actualizing Person’s

1. They have more efficient perception of reality and more comfortable relation with it:
they live in the real world, they are good judges of people. They can easily detect the
fake & dishonest. They are able to accept and live comfortably with complexities,
conflicts and problems of the real life.
2.They cheerfully accept themselves, other people and the world for what they are: they
can live comfortably even with their shortcomings, it means that they have cheerful
friendly attitude towards themselves. If they fail or make mistake, their attitude is ‘so
what’?

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 Cont…
I will try to do better next time. They respect themselves & have a realistic
appreciation for themselves.
3. Spontaneous, simplicity and naturalness: they are spontaneous in behavior
and thoughts. Their behavior is composed of simplicity and naturalness &
have no artificial behavior.
4. They are problem centered rather than ego centered: these type of people
have some mission in life. There focus is on the social or national problems
rather than focusing on their own rewards, satisfaction.

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5.The quality of detachment the need for privacy: egolessness and detachment are the two
values important for self-growth of the person towards ‘good person’. By maintaining dignity
and self-respect they face the challenges.

6. Autonomy: self actualized people are relatively independent of the particular society and
culture to which they belong. They do not need recognition, support or approval of others for
their development and satisfaction.

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7. Continued freshness of appreciation: self-actualizing people have the
wonderful capacity to appreciate again & again.
8. Spiritual experience: they are highly devotional person or spiritual.
9. Feeling for mankind: self-actualizing persons have a deep feeling of
sympathy and affection for the whole of humankind. They have desire to help
and improve human conditions. They treat the world as a family.

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10. Interpersonal relations: self-actualizing people have deeper and mature
interpersonal relations than others. Their circle of close friends is small.
11. The democratic character structure: a person with democratic temper
respects every human irrespective of class or gender. They treat them equally,
respects their rights and views.
12.Discrimination between means and ends, and between good & evil: they
are clear about ends & means. They are highly ethical people who can
distinguish between right and wrong.

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13 They have a philosophical thoughts: self actualized people are idealistic in
their behavior
14 Creativeness: these persons find innovative solutions, to the problems,
generate new ideas and develop better ways of doing things.
15 Resistance to enculturation: (the dominance of any particular culture, the
process by which an individual learns the traditional content of a culture.)
These people generally adjust in any culture and customs but they do not
believe in any cultural boundations.

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 Thank you

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