Esteem Needs
Although poets and songwriters might disagree, there is more to life than
love. Satisfying our belongingness and love needs directs attention to our es-teem needs. Maslow divided these into two basic types: the need to perceive
oneself as competent and achieving, and the need for admiration and respect.
But he cautioned that this respect must be deserved. We cannot lie or cheat
our way into positions of honor and authority. Even with money, spouse,
and friends, failing to satisfy our need for self-respect and admiration will
result in feelings of inferiority and discouragement.
Need for Self-Actualization
Nearly every culture has a story about someone who, by virtue of a magic
lamp or contact with a supernatural being, receives everything he or she
wishes. But inevitably, granting wishes for wealth, love, and power does notresult in happiness. As Maslow explained, when all our lower level needs are
satisfied, a new source of discontent surfaces. We turn our attention inward
and ask ourselves what we want out of life, where our lives are headed, andwhat we want to accomplish. The need for self-actualization is satisfied when
we identify our true self and reach our full potential. “A musician must make
music, ”Maslow wrote. “An artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be
ultimately at peace with himself. What a man can be, he must be. He must
be true to his own nature ”(1970, p. 46).
Misconceptions About Maslow ’s Need Hierarchy
Maslow was quick to acknowledge that the five-level hierarchy oversimplifies
the relationship between needs and behavior. Although the order makes sense
for most of us, there are some noteworthy exceptions. Some people have to
satisfy their needs for self-esteem and respect before they can enter a romantic
relationship. Some artists are so intent on expressing their creative desires that
they forego basic needs and friendships. And we’ ve all heard stories about
martyrs who sacrifice life itself for an ideal.
Upon first glance at the hierarchy, people sometimes assume that lower
needs must be satisfied 100% before we turn to higher needs. But Maslow
maintained that at any given moment needs from all five levels are potentiallyshaping our behavior. Moreover, we rarely satisfy any of the five need levels
for very long. Maslow estimated that for the average person in our culture,
85% of physiological needs, 70% of safety needs, 50% of belongingness andlove needs, 40% of esteem needs, and 10% of self-actualization needs are
satisfied.
Although Maslow described the need hierarchy as universal, he acknowl-
edged that the means of satisfying a particular need varies across cultures. An
individual can earn respect from others in our society by becoming a success-
ful businessperson or a community leader. But in other societies this esteem is
awarded for good hunting or farming skills. Nonetheless, Maslow maintained
that the needs and their arrangement within the hierarchy are the same across
cultures. Only the manner in which they are satisfied varies.Abraham Maslow 287