Talk:Maslow's hierarchy of needs

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Motivational Theory

There has been a lot of argument as to the credibility or lack thereof, for this theory. However although unintended for management theories for motivation by Maslow; in practical terms if there is a manager with a small team of deflated workers, it's a little start, a 'so basic it might just help' theory that when a manager, whose head is full of figures and responsibilities that are so far away from the likes of arguments of principals and credibilities or science versus pyscho-babble, that when that manager thinks yes that might help! I'll put a drinks vendor in the office, or i'll put a security light up just by the exit where some workers stand at night waiting to be picked up, or lets have one to ones to address peoples goals, then that is when something as incorrect or not may just make that bit of a difference to peoples spirits, maybe even just for one day, but it could just add a bit of warmth to a usually cold, mundane place. That in that sense may just turn out to be more important to those people than even whether the earth go round the sun. On that day at least!

RIGHTNEOUS of the original theory... this is NOT the original per MASLOW!

Simply put: Maslow's highest level of needs was ...

TOUCH WITH GOD. Which in recent years was changed to ...

"Touch with dinity" due to cultural shifts. Which then later was changed to ...

"Self-realization" a downgraded word for spiritual development which has its main process as a "a-ha moment... getting to know... become aware of...". Now, on 2025 it has gotten downgraded even further to ...

"Self-actualization" which leaves out the strive and fullfillment of the actual potential of one and very superficially orients only to "download a new version from some source" (the future A.I. totalitarian civilization). or just "keep the pace of societal changes". Being this said, I don't see an adaptation to language, nor culture anymore, but a blunt twarting of the original wise insight of Maslow's simplification of strives and drives of humanity.

This is NEGLECTION OF WISDOM to the public. Not merit of Wikipedia. Shamefull to the librarians who keep downgrading the original theories of wise people.

What do you say? Have you read in a paper book the original Maslow's pyramide and its explanations?

We are being deceived... Do we spread it further? 190.200.39.90 (talk) 23:16, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

no ~2026-24689-27 (talk) 16:07, 22 April 2026 (UTC)

Need for love

The article says: the need for creative fulfillment may supersede even the most basic needs.

But the cited reference (Kenrick et al. 2010.) does not claim that!

The article "Renovating the Pyramid of Needs: Contemporary Extensions Built Upon Ancient Foundations" by Douglas T. Kenrick et al. (2010) does not state that the need for creative fulfillment may supersede basic needs. In fact, the authors argue for the opposite: that the "basic foundational structure" of the pyramid, which prioritizes physiological and safety needs, is worth preserving.

Regarding the hierarchy and the priority of needs, the article explicitly states:

"If a person is starving, for example, the desire to obtain food will trump all other goals and dominate the person's thought processes."

The authors discuss Maslow's original concept of self-actualization (which they define as "fulfilling one's creative potential") but clarify that in Maslow's own model, it only becomes a priority after other needs are met:

"According to Maslow's hierarchical approach, self-actualization only becomes a priority after all other needs are satisfied."

Furthermore, the authors of this specific article propose a "renovation" that removes self-actualization from its privileged place at the top of the pyramid. They suggest that creative displays are not a functionally distinct "higher" need but are likely "subsumed within status (esteem) and mating-related motives." They emphasize that:

"...although self-actualization may be of considerable psychological importance, it is unlikely to be a functionally distinct human need."

While the article acknowledges that "physiological needs such as hunger can be suppressed by social goals" (such as fasting for a cause), it does not extend this exception to creative fulfillment superseding basic needs. Instead, it maintains that the foundational motives (survival and self-protection) remain primary throughout life. JustAWPuser (talk) 15:28, 25 January 2026 (UTC)

hierarchy of needs

link ~2026-10750-68 (talk) 12:45, 18 February 2026 (UTC)

Criticism -> self actualizing people

Why is this subsection under criticism? It is not clear that it is a criticism of his theory. ~2026-28494-70 (talk) 00:43, 12 May 2026 (UTC)

Edit request: the pyramid depiction and later re-examinations of the hierarchy

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The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.

Conflict-of-interest disclosure: I am involved in research revising Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Some sources below are my own work. Per WP:COI and WP:SELFCITE I am not editing the article directly, but requesting that uninvolved editors evaluate the additions below. To avoid resting on my own work, I've paired them with independent peer-reviewed scholarship and an independent secondary source. Proposed addition 1 — the pyramid depiction (in the section describing the hierarchy): Although the hierarchy is almost always depicted as a pyramid, Maslow never presented it in that form. Management scholars have traced the pyramid diagram to management textbooks and consultants of the 1960s, created years after Maslow's 1943 paper "A Theory of Human Motivation" and his 1954 book Motivation and Personality, neither of which contains a pyramid. Proposed addition 2 — modern re-examination and revision (a short paragraph under a "Legacy" or "Later developments" subsection): In 2018, psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman revisited Maslow's account of self-actualizing people and developed a Characteristics of Self-Actualization Scale, reporting that ten of the characteristics Maslow proposed held up to modern psychometric testing. In his 2020 book Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization, Kaufman proposed reframing the hierarchy as a sailboat rather than a pyramid, to reflect Maslow's view of self-actualization as an ongoing journey rather than a fixed endpoint: security needs (safety, connection, and self-esteem) form the boat, growth needs (exploration, love, and purpose) the sail, and a person can return to lower needs at any time rather than "completing" a level. Thank you for considering these. Happy to provide page numbers or additional sourcing. Philosopher427 (talk) 18:52, 10 July 2026 (UTC)

Not done: your request appears to have been generated by a large language model. Day Creature (talk) 05:21, 11 July 2026 (UTC)

Pyramid diagram was a later addition, not Maslow's own

This article presents the hierarchy as a pyramid, but Maslow didn't draw it that way. The pyramid diagram was introduced by later management writers — see Bridgman, Cummings & Ballard (2019), Academy of Management Learning & Education 18(1), 81–98 and Kaufman, S.B. (2020). Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization. Could the article add a line noting this for historical accuracy? Philosopher427 (talk) 07:06, 12 July 2026 (UTC)

The article already states that Maslow isn't responsible for the pyramid diagram. MrOllie (talk) 12:41, 12 July 2026 (UTC)

You're absolutely right, my apologies for missing that. Please remove my talk request. Philosopher427 (talk) 14:59, 12 July 2026 (UTC)