Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs

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November 14, 2011 Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Whether we are getting a glass of water to quench our thirst or reading to learn, motivation is what causes us to act. “Motivation is defined as the process that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors.” (Kendra Cherry “What is Motivation?” psychology.about.com) Maslow's hierarchy of needs suggests that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other needs. From bottom to top, Maslow's hierarchy of needs are physiological, safety, belonging and love, esteem, and self-actualization. Our most basic needs are our physical requirements, such as the need for food, water, and sleep. We satisfy these needs to avoid unpleasant feelings or consequences. Once we satisfy our basic needs, we can move on to our next level of needs, which are for safety and security. When our basic needs have been met, our needs become more psychological and social. The need for love, friendship, and intimacy will soon become very important to us. The need for personal esteem and feelings of accomplishment start to have a higher priority. Maslow believed that these needs motivate our behavior and are similar to our natural instincts. Maslow identified two different types of needs, D-needs and B-needs. Needs arising from deprivation include physiological, security, social and esteem needs called deficiency needs (D-needs). A desire to grow as a person create our growth needs (also known as being needs or B-needs). As we move up the hierarchy, our needs become more human and less basic. Our basic physiological needs form the base of Maslow's pyramid structure. Moving up the pyramid, the needs to feel safe, secure, and out of danger are important for our survival, but are not as basic as our physiological needs. The next level begins to have more of a social aspect. By interacting with other people, we can
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