Concept Exploration – Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Concept Exploration – Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, introduced by Abraham Maslow in 1943, is a major psychological theory that helps understand human motivation towards certain actions. The theory has been applied to understanding consumer behaviors and motivations for consumption and purchases (Cui et al., 2021) as well as to understanding the performance of healthcare workers (Ștefan et al., 2020). In theory, Abraham Maslow suggested that people and their actions are motivated by various progressive levels of needs in which they must first fulfill the basic needs and then progress to other higher and advanced levels of needs (Trivedi & Mehta, 2019). The main categories and levels of needs are physiological, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization. From Maslow’s perspective, humans are motivated by an inborn desire to actualize themselves and make themselves the best they can be. However, before attaining self-actualization, they must first satisfy their basic needs (Trivedi & Mehta, 2019).

Two main concepts that emerge from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs are deficiency needs and growth needs. Deficiency needs can be viewed as needs that result from lacking and deprivation. These are the needs that have not yet been met and that act as basic motivation for individuals. The more deficiency needs remain unmet, the more people are motivated to meet such needs. These needs are the basic needs before self-actualization can be met. On the other hand, growth needs arise or develop from the desire to grow continuously. They come after the basic needs have been met and the person focuses on the need to fully self-actualize.

Deficiency and growth needs, as used in the theory, may differ in how the terms may be applied in general use. Deficiency, in general use, may be used to mean scarcity or inadequacies. At the same time, growth needs may be confused in general use as the needs necessary for physical growth or development from birth to adulthood.

References

Cui, L., Wang, Y., Chen, W., Wen, W., & Han, M. S. (2021). Predicting determinants of consumers’ purchase motivation for electric vehicles: An application of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model. Energy Policy, 151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112167

Ștefan, S. C., Popa, Ștefan C., & Albu, C. F. (2020). Implications of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory on healthcare employees’ performance. Transylvanian Review of Administrative Sciences, 16(59). https://doi.org/10.24193/tras.59E.7

Trivedi, A. J., & Mehta, A. (2019). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs-Theory of Human Motivation. International Journal of Research in all Subjects in Multi Languages, 7(6), 38-41. http://www.raijmr.com/ijrsml/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/IJRSML_2019_vol07_issue_06_Eng_09.pdf

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

Concept Exploration – Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Choose a theory from your undergraduate education in any discipline. It should be a commonly used theory for the general public such as Maslow, Darwin, Descartes, or others you used in physiology courses, chemistry, business courses, etc. Do not use a nursing theory. Provide the theory in your response. Identify the two concepts and the proposition between them. Explain the concepts. How might the terms used differ from the general use of the term? How might the term be confused or misinterpreted? Format your theory in the form “psychosocial development (Concept A) progresses through (Proposition) stages (Concept B)”.