Hierarchy of needs
Psychology's most famous pyramid… which Maslow never drew.
The idea that basic needs affect well-being has support, but the strict step-by-step order has received little empirical backing.
Sound familiar?
You've probably seen the pyramid in class, in a business course or in a meme. The funny thing is that its author never drew it, and today's science adds some big caveats.
What it is
In 1943, American psychologist Abraham Maslow published "A Theory of Human Motivation".1 In it, he proposed that people have five broad types of needs, and that the most basic ones tend to take over when they're not met:
- Physiological: eating, drinking, sleeping.
- Safety: stability, protection, a roof over your head.
- Love and belonging: friendship, partners, groups.
- Esteem: recognition, respect, self-confidence.
- Self-actualisation: becoming everything you're capable of becoming.
Where the pyramid came from
Maslow didn't draw a pyramid in his paper. In fact, he warned that the hierarchy was not that rigid: needs can be partly satisfied and there are exceptions.1
A 2019 historical study traced the origin of the famous pyramid and concluded that it was created by other authors, mainly in the field of management, years later. The triangle shape conveys an idea of fixed steps that Maslow didn't argue for.3
What we know today
In 2011, Louis Tay and Ed Diener analysed data from people in 123 countries.2 They found that meeting needs like those Maslow described is linked to well-being all over the world. But they also found that the link between each need and well-being was largely independent of whether the other needs were met. In other words, you don't have to complete one step to benefit from the next.
This suggests, for example, that someone facing financial hardship can still gain well-being from their social relationships.
Myth vs. reality
Myth "Until your basic needs are met, you can't care about anything else."
Reality Needs work more in parallel than in steps. Basic needs matter a lot, but they don't "block" the others.
In everyday life
- Look after the basics: poor sleep or hunger affects your mood and your ability to focus.
- Don't wait until you "have it all" to invest in relationships or pursue your goals: they pay off right now too.
- When you see the pyramid, remember it's a later simplification, not the original theory.
Sources
- Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. doi.org/10.1037/h0054346
- Tay, L., & Diener, E. (2011). Needs and subjective well-being around the world. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(2), 354–365. doi.org/10.1037/a0023779
- Bridgman, T., Cummings, S., & Ballard, J. (2019). Who built Maslow's pyramid? A history of the creation of management studies' most famous symbol and its implications for management education. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 18(1), 81–98. doi.org/10.5465/amle.2017.0351