Humanistic Psychologist, Abraham Maslow’s, “Hierarchy of Needs”, is part and parcel toward understanding human motivation and personal development. Maslow’s theory states that as basic human needs are fulfilled, a progression occurs upward toward the elusive top of the pyramid.
In looking at the established chart at left, it is rather obvious that it would be difficult for a person to move beyond Physiological Needs without adequate food, water and shelter, and that it would be almost impossible to be a part of the ‘social scene’ if personal Safety Needs had not been met.
However, Maslow’s jump from Esteem to Self Actualization is quite a leap. Does it make any sense that one can simply jump from Self Esteem right into Self Actualization? In other words, one day you feel kind of cool given your status at the Rotary Club and your next step in human development is to become Gandhi-like?
Given the low probability of anyone taking the leap from Esteem to Self-actualization, perhaps something very important is missing from the standard five-tiered hierarchy.
The chart on the left includes Maslow’s late life revelation, which added two important needs: Cognition and Aesthetics. Yet despite Maslow’s epiphany in old age, the chart is still depicted as a five-stage journey - and controversy remains to this day as to whether to include Maslow’s revelation about Cognition and Aesthetics .
Including both of these needs and motivators when targeting consumers’ Values, Attitudes and Lifestyle (VALs) provides greater opportunities for achieving positive marketing results.
For marketers, knowing why someone would want to buy a particular product is requisite to selling it. In organizations, understanding employee motivation builds stronger and more successful companies.