by simonthescribe

Created on: October 27, 2008

Abraham Maslow's model of human needs, showing a motivating hierarchy' has been a strong influence in several sectors of our culture since the 1950's. It is used in advertising to predict and manipulate needs and motivations, in health and social services as a sort of scale of personal well-being and in cultural and business studies as a reference to personal development in relation to employment. But a close look reveals that this particularly Western cultural model is missing important elements for those who believe life on earth has a purpose.

Maslow's original model shows a hierarchy of human needs that start at the bottom and work up. These are:
Self-actualisation needs the need to become who you are' self-fulfilment, realising personal potential, seeking personal growth and peak experiences.Esteem needs
the need to derive some positive value from your actions, self-esteem, achievement, mastery, independence, status, dominance, prestige, managerial responsibility, etc.Social needs to have a sense of belonging to a group, tribe, work group, family, affection, relationships, etcSafety needs freedom from attack, from extreme environmental conditions, security, order, law, limits, stability, etcPhysiological needs to be able to eat, drink and maintain physical integrity, air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep, etc
Maslow states that until one level of need' is fulfilled that the person is unlikely to move on to the next, for example if you are hungry and thirsty and have nowhere to live you are unlikely to be looking for social status. He suggests that each need has to be aroused and unsatisfied to be a motivating force in behaviour.

Watching adverts on TV it is easy to see how many of them try and arouse unsatisfied needs, especially around social and esteem needs, to motivate people to buy products. You must have this in order to look cool' to your group (social). You will never be happy until you have this product (esteem). Protect your family with this amazing product (safety). But since the 1950's, before we all had houses stacked out with consumer durables to make our houses safer, trendier, the envy of our neighbours, things have moved on to the top of the hierarchy.

In the 1970's, two more levels were added to the top of the hierarchy, after esteem needs' (4) and before self actualisation' (5). These were generally recognised as:

Aesthetic needs - appreciation and search for beauty, balance, form, etc.

Cognitive needs - knowledge, meaning, etc.

Becoming

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