What we say we need and what we actually need may seem like different things, with our only real needs being the basics to sustain our lives. However, many of our more frivolous wants also qualify as needs, even if they are less important ones. The famous ‘Hierarchy of Needs” by psychologist Abraham Maslow sought to use psychology to determine what our real needs are, and what the ranked importance of them is.
Through the pyramid, these needs are placed with the most important physiological needs at the bottom, and the least important self-fulfillment needs at the top. With each level of needs, the previous level must be attained before the next one up can be, though Maslow admitted decades later that the order of them was not rigid, and they could be reordered depending on the person. Let’s take a closer look at these needs, which give us a better understanding of the human condition.
Physiological Needs
The first of the basic needs the pyramid lists are the physiological needs of food, water, warmth, and rest, which we need for basic survival. Although we may need other things, these are the elements we truly cannot live without.
Without meeting these needs, none of the needs higher up can be met. These are the true essentials that are needed for us to function.
Safety Needs
After physiological needs are safety needs, which include safety and security, and complete what are considered to be the most basic needs.
Security needs represent our movement beyond nomadic hunter-gatherers. With the comfort of knowing where our next meal comes from and knowing that we won’t be attacked by ferocious animals in the night, we are able to move up to the next level.
Love and Belongingness Needs
Next up on the pyramid are psychological needs. The first grouping is for love and belongingness, and it includes friends and intimate relationships.
Whether it is having good relations with family, friends, colleagues, or romantic relationships, these needs are the most important beyond the basic needs, giving us a sense of belonging and making us not feel alone in the world.
Esteem Needs
Also falling under psychological needs are esteem needs. These include prestige and the feeling of accomplishment. Maslow considered self-esteem to be one of the categories of esteem needs, and the desire for respect from others to be the other category.
That second category was deemed by Maslow to be especially important for children, and the first category of self-esteem will only come later on.
Self-Actualization
The top of the pyramid has the self-fulfillment needs of self-actualization. This includes meeting your potential and being creative. It can mean many things to many people, but the core of it is being who you wish to be.
The relative unimportance of self-fulfillment is not to diminish its value, however. Rather, its inclusion validates it as a need.
