Need Hierarchy Theory:
Maslow's
hierarchy of needs is a theory in Psychology.
The Theory was proposed by Abraham
Maslow in his 1943 paper "A Theory of Human
Motivation" in Psychological Review.
Maslow opined that human beings have a hierarchy of needs where
he stated that all humans before moving on to satisfy higher order needs at
first satisfy their lower order needs like basic needs. Maslow
represented this theory as a hierarchical triangle. This shows how basic needs
must be met before one can “climb” the hierarchy, to address more complex
needs.
According
to Maslow, individuals are motivated by unsatisfied needs, i.e, needs not yet
satisfied. Once a basic need is significantly satisfied, it drives and forces
the next need to emerge. Thus according to Maslow, Satisfied need
can no longer be a motivator for human being and thus only the needs not yet
satisfied, i.e., unsatisfied need can be a motivator.
In
hierarchy of needs theory, Maslow identified five types / sets of human needs
and these needs are arranged in a hierarchy of their importance and priority.
He concluded that when one set of needs is satisfied, it ceases to be a
motivating factor. Thereafter, the next set of needs in the hierarchy order
takes its place. These needs in hierarchy can be compared to a pyramid. At the
lowest level, there is Basic Needs and such needs are universal in character
which means such needs are present in all human being. Once the basic needs are
satisfied significantly then this will be followed by other sets of needs.
Maslow grouped the five needs into two categories - Higher-order needs
and Lower-order needs. The physiological and the safety needs
constituted the lower-order needs. These lower-order needs are mainly satisfied
externally. The social, esteem, and self-actualization needs constituted the
higher-order needs. These higher-order needs are generally satisfied
internally, i.e., within an individual.
Maslow's Assumptions in Hierarchy of Needs Theory are :-
- Man is a wanting being, i.e. He needs more and more. He never be satisfied with what he has.
- Human needs are of varied and diversified nature. They can be arranged in a hierarchy of importance i.e., from a lower to a higher order of needs. As soon as needs on a lower level is fulfilled, those on the next level will emerge and demand satisfaction.
- A satisfied need can never be a motivator. Only the needs not yet satisfied can be a motivator for human being.
- As one need is satisfied, another replaces it.
Various Needs Presented in Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory are discussed as below:
Source of Image: en.wikipedia.org
Physiological
Needs:
Physiological needs are
also known as Basic or Biological Needs. These needs necessary for sustaining
human life. These needs include food, shelter, clothing, rest, air, water,
sleep and sexual satisfaction. These basic human needs or biological needs lie
at the lowest level in the hierarchy of needs as they have priority over all
other needs. These needs cannot be overdue for long. Unless and until these
basic physiological needs are satisfied to the required extent, other needs cannot
emerge and thus an employee cannot think for other needs to be as motivator. In
this context it is well said by Maslow that 'man lives by bread alone,' when
there is no bread. The management attempts to meet such physiological needs
through fair wages.
Safety Needs:
Once
physiological needs are satisfied to a reasonable level, one's attention turns to safety and security. This need is for free from the threat of physical and emotional harm. These
are the needs connected with the psychological fear of loss of job, property,
natural calamities or hazards, protection from physical danger, security of job, pension for old age,
insurance cover for life, etc. An employee wants protection from such
types of fear. He prefers adequate safety or security in this regard.
Social Needs:
Once
a person has met the lower level physiological and safety needs, higher level
needs become emerge. In the first category of higher order needs is the Social Needs. Since an
employee is also a human being and thus he is a social animal and who needs to
stay in group instead of being isolated. At first he wants to associated with a group either belong to one or the other group and being in a group he wants that the
member of the group should accept him with love and affection. Every person
desires to be affiliated to such groups. This is treated as basic social need
of an individual. He also feels that he should be loved by the other members.
To sustain in the group he needs friends and interaction with his friends and superiors of the group
such as fellow employees or superiors. Social needs occupy third position in
the hierarchy of needs. Thus,
Social needs are those related to interaction with other people and may
include:
- Need for friends
- Need for belonging
- Need for love and affection
Esteem Needs:
Once
a person feels a sense of "belonging", the need to feel important
arises. Esteem needs may be classified as internal or external. Internal esteem
needs are those related to self-esteem such as self respect and achievement.
External esteem needs are those such as social status and recognition. Some
esteem needs are:
- Self-respect
- Achievement
- Attention
- Recognition
- Reputation
Maslow
later refined his model to include a level between esteem needs and
self-actualization: the need for knowledge and aesthetics.
Self-Actualization Needs:
Among all the needs in the need hierarchy given by Maslow this is the highest level Need. Self Actualisation is the desire
to become what one is capable of becoming. It is the quest of reaching one's full potential
as a person. Thus it can be termed as a 'growth' need. A worker must
work efficiently if he is to be ultimately happy. Here, a person feels that he
should accomplish something in his life. He want to utilise his potentials to
the maximum extent and desires to become what one is capable of becoming.
Self-actualization is the summit of
Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Unlike lower level needs, this need is never fully satisfied; as
one grows psychologically there are always new opportunities to continue to
grow. Self-actualized people tend to have needs such as:
- Truth
- Justice
- Wisdom
- Meaning
According to Maslow, only a small
percentage of the population reaches the level of self-actualization.
Limitations/ Criticism of Maslow’s Theory:
- All employees are not governed by same set of needs. At the same point of time different individuals may be driven by different needs. It is always the most powerful unsatisfied need that motivates an individual.
- The theory is not empirically supported or not empirically tested.
- The theory is not applicable for all groups of people like in case of starving artist as even if the artist’s basic needs are not satisfied, he will still strive for recognition and achievement.
- Another basic limitation or criticism is that Maslow's theory is over simplified and is based on human needs only.
- There is lack of direct cause and effect relationship between need and behavior.
- Maslow's assumption of 'need hierarchy' does not hold good in the present age as each person has plenty of needs to be satisfied, which may not necessarily follow Maslow's need hierarchy.