Educational Implications of Abraham Maslow’s Theory
Medhat Fam, Ed.D.
Abraham Maslow (1908 –1970) developed a theory of personality that has influenced a number
of different fields, including education. This wide influence is due in part to the high level of
practicality of Maslow's theory. This theory accurately describes many realities of personal
experiences.
Maslow has set up a hierarchy of five levels of basic needs. Beyond these needs, higher levels of
needs exist. In the levels of the five basic needs, the person does not feel the second need until
the demands of the first have been satisfied, nor the third until the second has been satisfied, and
so on. Maslow's basic needs are as follows:
Physiological Needs
¨ Physiological needs-also known as biological needs. Consists of oxygen, food, water,
constant body temperature.
¨ Physiological are the strongest needs
Safety Needs
¨ Safety Needs-Security and Protection from physical and emotional harm
¨ Adults have little awareness for safety needs except in times of emergency
Needs of Love, Affection and Belongingness
¨ Belongingness & Love needs- people seek to overcome feelings of loneliness and
alienation.
¨ Involves giving and receiving love affection and a sense of belonging
Needs for Esteem
¨ Needs for esteem-involves both self-esteem and esteem a person gets from others
¨ Humans need self-respect and respect of others
¨ When these needs are satisfied person feels self-confident and valuable
¨ When not met people feel inferior, weak, helpless, and worthless
Needs for Self-Actualization
– Cognitive – to know, to understand, to explore
– Aesthetic-to find symmetry, order and beauty
Educational Implications
¨ Teach people to be authentic
¨ Teach people to become world citizens
¨ Help people to discover their vocation in life
¨ Teach people that life is precious, there is joy in life
¨ We must accept the person and help them find their inner self
¨ We must see that basic needs are satisfied
¨ We should refresh consciousness
¨ Teach people that controls are good, complete abandon is bad
¨ Teach people to transcend the trifling problems and tackle the serious problems of life
¨ Teach people to make good choices
Common Emphasis on humanistic approaches to education
1. Affect - emphasis on feeling and thinking.
2. Self-Concept - positive, self-concept important
3. Communication - positive and honest
Personal Values - Importance of personal values, facilitate the development of positive values.
Must know themselves, express themselves, self-identity, actualize themselves