Maslow Critic
Maslow revis(it)ed
Paper 02 - 1
PAPER
02
Maslow revis(it)ed
Bob Dick (2001) Maslow revis(it)ed: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs examined and reformulated. A discussion paper originally written in the 1980s, revised 1990, 1993. This version 2001.
Contents
Maslow’s hierarchy The nature of Maslow’s hierarchy From fact to logic Maslow’s hierarchy as a taxonomy The validation of a macro-theory Internal/external dimension Conditional vs unconditional dimension The hierarchy explored further The people vs events dimension Some further elements of similarity Two unresolved issues The overall model 2 5 5 10 14 14 15 16 19 20 22 23
Paper 02 - 2
Robust processes — papers
Underlying almost all human behaviour is an attempt to satisfy some human need. An understanding of needs, of motives, therefore precedes an understanding of behaviour. In this document I take one of the better known theories of human needs, that of Abraham Maslow (1970). I first subject it to a logical analysis which leads to some revision. Some of the implications of this are then considered. The first section briefly describes the theory in its usual form.
Maslow’s hierarchy
Maslow postulates that under different conditions, different classes of needs rise to salience. The classes of needs are arranged hierarchically. The lowest unsatisfied level is the salient level: the level which commands our attention. But as soon as it becomes satisfied it ceases to be important. In its most common formulation the hierarchy contains five levels of needs. From highest to lowest they are as in Figure 1: physiological, security, belonging, esteem, and self-actualisation. So if the physiological needs are unsatisfied they are most important and attract most of a person’s attention. But as they become satisfied they fade into the background. The next level, comprising the safety or security needs, comes to the fore.
Maslow revis(it)ed
Paper 02 - 3
self-actualisation esteem social security physiological
Fig. 1 Maslow’s
Paper 02 - 1
PAPER
02
Maslow revis(it)ed
Bob Dick (2001) Maslow revis(it)ed: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs examined and reformulated. A discussion paper originally written in the 1980s, revised 1990, 1993. This version 2001.
Contents
Maslow’s hierarchy The nature of Maslow’s hierarchy From fact to logic Maslow’s hierarchy as a taxonomy The validation of a macro-theory Internal/external dimension Conditional vs unconditional dimension The hierarchy explored further The people vs events dimension Some further elements of similarity Two unresolved issues The overall model 2 5 5 10 14 14 15 16 19 20 22 23
Paper 02 - 2
Robust processes — papers
Underlying almost all human behaviour is an attempt to satisfy some human need. An understanding of needs, of motives, therefore precedes an understanding of behaviour. In this document I take one of the better known theories of human needs, that of Abraham Maslow (1970). I first subject it to a logical analysis which leads to some revision. Some of the implications of this are then considered. The first section briefly describes the theory in its usual form.
Maslow’s hierarchy
Maslow postulates that under different conditions, different classes of needs rise to salience. The classes of needs are arranged hierarchically. The lowest unsatisfied level is the salient level: the level which commands our attention. But as soon as it becomes satisfied it ceases to be important. In its most common formulation the hierarchy contains five levels of needs. From highest to lowest they are as in Figure 1: physiological, security, belonging, esteem, and self-actualisation. So if the physiological needs are unsatisfied they are most important and attract most of a person’s attention. But as they become satisfied they fade into the background. The next level, comprising the safety or security needs, comes to the fore.
Maslow revis(it)ed
Paper 02 - 3
self-actualisation esteem social security physiological
Fig. 1 Maslow’s
References: Adorno, Theodor W., Frenkel-Brunswik, Else, Levinson, Daniel J., and Sanford, Nevitt (1950) The authoritarian personality. New York: Harper and Row. Alderfer, Clayton P. (1972) Existence, relatedness and growth. New York: Free Press.