A Guide to the 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

In a 1943 paper titled "A Theory of Human Motivation," American psychologist Abraham Maslow theorized that human decision-making is undergirded by a hierarchy of psychological needs. In his initial paper and a subsequent 1954 book titled Motivation and Personality, Maslow proposed that five core needs form the basis for human behavioral motivation.

Hierarchy of Needs

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What Are the 5 Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a model for understanding the motivations for human behavior. It maps different motivations onto a pyramid, with each level representing a different human need. These include physiological needs, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.

Deficiency Needs vs. Growth Needs on Maslow’s Hierarchy

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