Maslow's Hierarchy Analysis

The puzzle of human motivation and goal seeking behavior has fascinated psychologists for years. Maslow proposed a hierarchy, a pyramid of needs and desires, with the believe that all humans are driven to try to reach the highest tier, but must first attain the needs from one tier before moving further up the pyramid. I feel that Maslow’s hierarchy is insightful but inadequate. It fails to encompass the wide range of behaviors displayed by humans, nor does it give understanding to the motivation behind certain acts. Still, Maslow’s work is certainly worth considering and has influenced and inspired others studying motivation.

Maslow’s theory on motivation was that humans progress tier-by-tier in an attempt to reach their fullest potential. …show more content…
Maslow’s first tier of basal, physiological needs, does seem accurate. It is only logical that humans are first required to address their needs for a steady supply of food and water before seeking higher-order goals, such as the need to be held in esteem. However, I do not agree that it is necessary to complete the remaining four tiers in the specific order Maslow proposed. The third tier especially strikes me as incorrect – it is still possible to love and be loved in an unsafe environment, or when one does not have enough food. I also do not believe one must focus only on the goals of one specific tier at a time. Further, I disagree that humans always base their self-worth off of others holding on in esteem, or that that is desirable or necessary. Having struggled with extremely low self-esteem as a child and young adolescent, I do not believe that one can reach self-actualization without high self-esteem, and I believe that self-esteem must be based on acknowledging oneself, not on being acknowledged by others. Finally, Maslow does not address the fact that once a tier’s needs have been obtained they cannot simply be forgotten about. Grocery shopping satisfies the need for food for a time, but it is not …show more content…
This could be used to explain many different behaviors throughout history, from hunting-gathering, to beginning a farm, to going to the grocery store ((,)) as previously mentioned. The next step is to seek a safe environment, which may explain building simple structures such as mud huts, fighting nearby, warlike, tribes, and moving to a different apartment complex after a shooting in the area. Love and belongingness encompass the search for friends and lovers, and all of the steps we take to maintain those relationships and the relationships we have with our families, such as bringing meals to a grieving friend or phoning an aunt on her birthday. The fourth and fifth tiers are where behavior becomes more individual specific. Why others recognize us revolves chiefly around our unique talents and the times in which we live. Today a person who uses their free time to teach underprivileged youths to read may be held in high esteem, but in fact may have been jailed for this behavior several hundred years ago. Self-actualization, the act of reaching one’s highest potential, is a very personal thing as we all have different talents and abilities. It is primarily about the internal; rather than obtaining external rewards, such as food and friends, internal rewards such as peace and the belief that one is doing their best are attained. In my opinion, this is a fine but