Each person has certain needs. Without some of them, it is impossible to exist. Specialists have different views on needs. Human needs were first described and analyzed at the beginning of the 20th century. Until now, every professional considers his theory. In the article, we consider the basic needs of a person, analyze the classification of the famous American psychologist Abraham Harold Maslow.
The essence of the concept
Everyone needs something. It all depends on the living conditions, the activities of the individual, material objects, etc. This is the need of the individual. That is, this is the internal state of a person, because of which one feels the insufficiency of something. The need manifests itself in different ways, depending on certain situations. Experts have noticed that the need never ends. If a person satisfied one need, another immediately appears. This cycle has been going on all my life. Every need is manifested by certain emotions. A person becomes angry and irritable when he cannot satisfy a need, that is, negatively tuned. Positive emotions appear only when everything worked out.
If the needs are not met, discomfort appears, which gradually develops into a negative state. That is why people are trying to create all conditions for a comfortable and prosperous life. Every living organism needs something. This is not necessarily human, but also plants, animals, insects and other living things. The concept and classification of needs are considered in diverse aspects. However, psychologists associate them with the need of a person in different areas and directions. This is the essence of every need.
Essence and classification
The classification of the needs of an individual is a concept that is used in several meanings. First of all, these are objects of the environment. They are needed for a normal person. The second area is the state of the psyche. A person needs communication, love and other feelings. If this is not, then there is a turning point in the life of an individual, which greatly affects the psyche, which is why a depressive state appears.
There are still fundamental properties. That is, how a person relates to the world and the environment. On the above needs distinguish the following features:
- Need is interconnected with a deficit of a certain subject or object. For example, when a person does not have enough food or clothing, he feels this need.
- Needs are closely interlinked with positive and negative emotions. It all depends on the situation. If a person satisfied his need, for example, bought or did something with his own hands, then he is happy and everything is fine with him. When the need is unfulfilled, then the mood deteriorates, depression appears and negative emotions appear.
- The number of needs is increasing every year. If a newborn does not have so many needs, then an adult has much more. You need to feed a small child, play with him or change clothes. He will already be pleased with life. An adult has much more needs that require certain forces and costs.
The classification of human needs is a system by which the significance of needs is determined. Their features are directly related to the motivation and purpose of the person.This suggests that the need can be satisfied only when the person purposefully moves forward and remembers the motives.
Functions
There are three stages that determine a person’s needs. First, need is formed when a person has a certain attitude, feelings and emotions to external stimuli. Then motivation is built, and the third stage is awareness of the need. In this case, a person experiences negative or positive emotions, specific thoughts, goals and plans appear.
There are two main functions:
- Signal. When a need arises, a person feels a deficit, thoughts change, the state becomes more restless until the need is satisfied.
- Prompting need. The person begins to act in his own interests. Activity, labor activity are shown, human behavior cardinally changes.
In fact, the classification of human needs closely intersects with functions. However, only some species are described. Many psychologists have more than 130 human needs. This is a lot, but people still strive to live better and satisfy their needs as with wealth so spiritual. The same can be said about the needs of society.
Types of needs
Based on the above features, experts identify specific needs. Professionals usually use 6 varieties in their work - these are the main classifications of needs. The first of these includes the scope of activity. That is, a person needs work or study. For example, a schoolchild or small child needs knowledge, and an adult needs work. However, each person has a need for both communication and relaxation. This applies not only to adults, but also to children.
The second classification is the object of needs. This can be the material side, the biological, spiritual, aesthetic, etc. That is, it says that a person needs work to satisfy financial needs or rest. The third classification is very important. It determines the significance of needs and is divided into two types. In the first place is the basic need, without which a person cannot live, and in the second - the dominant (secondary) one. The fourth classification of needs (temporary stability) is also divided into two types. The first need is situational, and the second is sustainable.
The functional role is the fifth classification, which is divided into two types:
- Natural when transmitted at the genetic level. It's a need in food, water, oxygen. Natural need comes first and is considered dominant.
- Cultural. A person needs objects, various phenomena that are not inherited. This is beauty, purity, knowledge, religion, science, sport and much more.
The last, sixth classification of needs is by subject. It can be communication or work with a group of people, a society, a team or with an individual person. The types of needs and their classification show that these are the facts that are taken into account in order to understand the essence of the needs of a person or society. In total, we can conclude that the lack of good cause certain emotions of the person. They can be both negative and positive. Similarly, one can characterize the needs of society.
Maslow Needs Classification
American psychologist Abraham Harold Maslow put forward his theory. He painted the needs of man in a certain order. However, according to his theory, needs should be considered from the lower class to the upper. People must first satisfy those that are natural, distinctive, gradually moving to higher, spiritual ones.
Maslow's classification of needs includes these basic needs components:
- The need for self-realization.
- The need for recognition.
- In love and belonging.
- The need for security.
- The needs of physiology.
Based on the above components, a pyramid was formed with the main human needs. In the list presented above, it looks like this: the bottom item is the foundation on which each subsequent component is based. Upper - peak. The pyramid has become known throughout the world and is successfully used by students and teachers.
What are the basic needs for?
As it turned out, Maslow's classification of needs is broken down into 5 components. The most interesting thing is that they are considered in reverse order. The first very important classification is the need for physiology. It depends on her, not only the life of man, but also of any living creature. Physiological needs include sleep, food, sex, and breathing.
The second component is the fourth classification. This is a need for security. A person must be sure that he lives in a protected society, where the rule of law and law prevail. He should not be afraid for his life. The individual needs to know that in the case of emergency police, firemen, doctors and so on will come to his aid. This also includes a sense of stability and confidence in the future.
The need for love and belonging is the third important component in human life. All people want to be loved and respected. Therefore, each person needs to communicate with the team, friends, relatives. At the same time, a person feels someone needs. When the need for love is satisfied, then the person needs prestige and recognition. This is the second step in a row. A person wants others to see his talents. Only when people recognize a gifted person, he becomes self-confident and successful.
And the first component is the need for self-realization. This is a spiritual need. Each person tries to be creative, goes to a museum, theater, circus. That is, it seeks to develop spiritually. The American psychologist Maslow arranged the five main components in a hierarchical sequence. However, many scientists did not agree with this theory. After all, there cannot be a need for self-realization in the first place, and physiological needs in the last. However, the psychologist was able to prove the opposite, since the pyramid is read from below.
The meaning of the Maslow Pyramid
The classification of psychology needs has been considered by many scientists. They concluded that the Maslow pyramid is worth attention and respect, if you study it from a lower level. After all, the most important thing in a person’s life is food, drink, a roof over his head. Therefore, physiological need takes first place. Now this unique pyramid of needs is being studied at universities in subjects such as psychology, economics, and even marketing. Not only the student, but everyone should understand the need for the degree of importance.
The meaning of the pyramid is to satisfy a secondary need, it is necessary to realize the dominant. Psychologists recommend both parents and teachers to interest children so that they have a desire to satisfy their needs. However, not all experts agree with this, since A. Maslow did not seek individuality. He created a hierarchical step in his studies, which are very different from the theory of other specialists. You can read about it below.
What unrealized need leads to
Not every person manages to satisfy his needs as he wants. Therefore, there are situations when the need remains unfulfilled. What happens in this case? If a person could not satisfy his need for self-realization, he becomes insecure and notorious. In the future, such people do not have common topics for talking with others. If a person does not satisfy the need for security and does not have stability, then psychological trauma appears.Subsequently, fear, nervousness, and stress appear.
When a person has no friends and close people on whom he can lean, then the need for love is unsatisfied. Such people become closed and lonely. They quickly fade and live it becomes boring and uninteresting.
As it turned out, physiological need most important. If it is unrealized, then a person begins to not only get sick, but also “fade” before his eyes. The consequence can be detrimental. Any unfulfilled need adversely affects both the health and the human psyche. That is why psychologists believe that it is necessary to satisfy their needs immediately, as they become available.
Criticism of needs by psychologists
Many psychologists disagree with the Maslow pyramid only for the reason that they do not see logic. The scientist so developed the needs that they only take turns. Before satisfying the second need, you first need to realize the first. In fact, psychologists agree only with physiological needs. After all, if a person is hungry, he will not want to realize anything else. However, why is security in need, and not love, in second place? After all, each person is individual. If one needs stability, and the second may need love.
At the same time, psychologists agree with Maslow that a person is dependent on needs. A person exceeds his needs, so the process of forming needs often becomes more complex. You can pay tribute to Abraham Harold Maslow. He never insisted on his theory, but gave people a choice. He agreed with those psychologists who advanced their theories of classification of needs. Maslow agrees that any need depends on the specific conditions in which a person is. It seems that the theory of the English scientist gave a detailed answer to teachers or leaders.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can say that the theory of the famous American psychologist A. Maslow caused both bewilderment of other specialists, and many questions. After all, his theory and hierarchy are not accessible to everyone. The psychologist analyzed the human need and created five steps that told about the needs of people. However, he did not take into account the personality of the individual and therefore the hierarchy for all people was one. Psychologists argue that this cannot be, since each individual has his own desires. If a person is excessively creative and cannot imagine his life without creativity, then this is the most important thing for a person. For such people, love and other needs become secondary.
Studies by specialists show that the same need both increases efficiency indicators and reduces them. It all depends on the specific situation, the personality of the individual.
