Maslow's theory on the hierarchy of needs relating to psychological development is definitely an interesting subject for me. Although I do not agree with his hierarchy, I feel that it may indeed be correct.
So in it is in this dilemma of explaining it, I have to in some way support his claim... must to my dismay.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs has 5 levels each relating to a particular psychological aspects growth. It provides a possible explanation to human behavior, and the repercussions if not fulfilled. Maslow has discribed these repercussive levels as deficiency needs, or D-Needs.
The first level of this hierarchy is the physiological need.
This aspect of the human psyche is all the basic, and primal, needs to sustain ones life. This area covers aspects of life such as breathing, food, water, sex, sleep, homeostasis and excretion. The needs of this group is not included in the "D-Needs" classification.
The second level of this hierarchy is the need for safety and security.
With their physical needs relatively satisfied, the individual's safety needs take over and dominate their behavior. These needs have to do with people's yearning for a predictable, orderly world in which injustice and inconsistency are under control, the familiar frequent and the unfamiliar rare. In the world of work, these safety needs manifest themselves in such things as a preference for job security, grievance procedures for protecting the individual from unilateral authority, savings accounts, insurance policies, and the like.
For the most part, physiological and safety needs are reasonably well satisfied in the "First World". The obvious exceptions, of course, are people outside the mainstream — the poor and the disadvantaged. If frustration has not led to apathy and weakness, such people still struggle to satisfy the basic physiological and safety needs. They are primarily concerned with survival: obtaining adequate food, clothing, shelter, and seeking justice from the dominant societal groups.
Safety and Security needs include:
* Personal security from crime
* Financial security
* Health and well-being
* Safety net against accidents/illness and the adverse impacts
The third level pertains to the need of Love and Belonging.
After physiological and safety needs are fulfilled, the third layer of human needs is social. This psychological aspect of Maslow's hierarchy involves emotionally-based relationships in general, such as:
* friendship
* intimacy
* having a supportive and communicative family
Humans need to feel a sense of belonging and acceptance, whether it comes from a large social group, such as clubs, office culture, religious groups, professional organizations, sports teams, gangs ("Safety in numbers"), or small social connections (family members, intimate partners, mentors, close colleagues, confidants). They need to love and be loved (sexually and non-sexually) by others. In the absence of these elements, many people become susceptible to loneliness, social anxiety, and Clinical depression. This need for belonging can often overcome the physiological and security needs, depending on the strength of the peer pressure; an anorexic, for example, ignores the need to eat and the security of health for a feeling of control and belonging.
The fourth level covers the aspect of one's esteem.
All humans have a need to be respected, to have self-esteem, self-respect, and to respect others. People need to engage themselves to gain recognition and have an activity or activities that give the person a sense of contribution, to feel accepted and self-valued, be it in a profession or hobby. Imbalances at this level can result in low self-esteem or an inferiority complex. People with low self-esteem need respect from others. They may seek fame or glory, which again depends on others. It may be noted, however, that many people with low self-esteem will not be able to improve their view of themselves simply by receiving fame, respect, and glory externally, but must first accept themselves internally. Psychological imbalances such as depression can also prevent one from obtaining self-esteem on both levels.
The process of proceeding through these various levels is referring to as "Growth" in this theory.
Though the deficiency needs may be seen as "basic", and can be met and neutralized (i.e. they stop being motivators in one's life), self-actualization and transcendence are "being" or "growth" needs (also termed "B-needs"); i.e. they are enduring motivations or drivers of behavior.
Throughout this theory the one goal is to reach the summit... the point of Self-Transcendence. Maslow's theory in this subject has been called "Aesthetic" what I believe to be both correct and incorrect (but that will be cover much later).
The motivation to realize own maximum potential and possibilities is considered to be the master motive or the only real motive, all other motives being its various forms. In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the need for self-actualization is the final need that manifests when lower level needs have been satisfied.
However, on Maslow's declining time in this world, he revealed another level to the structure of his hierarchy.
Near the end of his life Maslow revealed that there was a level on the hierarchy that was above self-actualization: self-transcendence. He stated that the achievements and success of his offspring were more satisfying than the personal fulfillment and growth characterized in self-actualization.
Now comes my beliefs on my "refinement" of his theory.
I will not be editing the foundation of his theory, merely the process to what I believe would be the actual definition of his Self-transcendence. Although I do not doubt that he felt this way before he parted this world, I believe his work to be both accurate and inaccurate at the same time...
The Growth process definition in being the driving factor is correct. We as a being, creature, human or however you care to characterize it, want to achieve our maximum potential.
However, I believe the classification of the B-Needs should not be applied to the self-actualization and transcendence stages. It should include the lower four levels.
The reason for this is that all people have the self-actualization portion of it's needs completed in one form or another. So the belief that this stage of psychological development cannot exist until the lower four levels are fulfilled is not logical in the least bit.
If every person did not have these needs fulfilled, we would not have any comprehension of "I." We would not have concept of one's identity, including using the term "one." Our psychological development would not even begin if these needs were not already met. If there was a level characterizing these drivers as a need, then it would need to be placed between Physiological and Safety/Security.
As such self-actualization is now considered to be a state of understanding. In this state you subconsciously understand yourself. It may be possible to understand the world around you on a surreal level. To achieve this state of psychological development, all of the needs of the lower need not be met.
This stage of development is truly available at any point throughout the entire process. This is due to the concept of self-actualization: self, meaning one's own being; and actualization, meaning the act or process of actualizing. For those of you not familiar with "actualizing," it means - to make actual or real; turn into action or fact.
If at any point someone knows what they need to do in order to fulfill a need, they have reached a state of Self-Actualization, if only momentarily. It is due to this belief that I think the state of Self-Actualization is "loosely" founded in the hierarchy.
It is only when the individual completes all of the four lower needs categories, that he or she reaches the state of Self-Transcendence.
Although it is possible for all people to reach this state of being, it pains me to say that I do not believe most anyone, if not all, ever reaches this state of being anymore, if ever. So until someone reaches this level, I will have to believe that only in death can this state of being be met.
I would love to meet someone who has reached a state of Self-Transcendence before death. I'd be honored...
