Critique in Maslow's Hierarchy of needs
Maslow hierarchy of needs theory gave us an overview of the pyramid of needs; which an
individual should meet. This theory explains understanding the motivations for human behavior.
These include psychological needs, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and
self-actualization. Abraham Maslow believed that if an individual didn’t meet the first order of the
pyramid, they would not be able to feel fulfilled or satisfied. The possible effects if they don’t
meet these needs are physical illness, anxiety, loneliness, feeling worthless, boredom, etc.
I believe that the order of needs within the hierarchy is arbitrary due to the fact that some
people don’t necessarily pursue the conditions in this order. It's based on observations of human
behavior. While individuals may not strictly follow the hierarchy, it provides a valuable framework
for understanding human motivation. Individual differences, culture, and circumstances can
influence the order and priority of these needs. In addition, self-actualization is not linear, where
some study believes that if an individual doesn’t meet the basic needs they are still able to
self-actualize their goals. For example, if a person loves his career so much and when he loses
his career and realizes that their old career was not satisfying at all. Because income is what
truly matters. And self-actualization teaching is not generalized because the concept and
standards of self-actualization are not widely recognized; self-actualization lessons might not be
generalizable. Diverse philosophies, belief systems, and civilizations all have different ideas
about what it means to realize one's most tremendous potential. Moreover, the journey toward
self-actualization can be highly individualistic, which makes developing a universal strategy
difficult.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory presents a pyramid of human needs, ranging from
basic physiological necessities to self-actualization. It asserts that meeting these needs is vital
for overall well-being. However, the sequence of these needs isn't consistently followed, and
individual variances, cultural influences, and circumstances can determine their priority.
Additionally, self-actualization teachings cannot be universally applied due to variations in the
concept across cultures and individuals, making it difficult to establish a single,
all-encompassing approach.