Maslow's Pyramid is a diagram that illustrates his famous Theory of the Hierarchy of Human Needs, one of the concepts of psychology that has most influenced management disciplines. In this post we will help you understand the roots of this concept and how to work with it in different areas of management, marketing and sales.
Maslow's Pyramid or the Theory of the Hierarchy of Human Needs is a concept of psychology that has become one of the most widespread dynamics of HR management.
It is based on the principle that human needs have a hierarchical relationship capable of directing the motivation of individuals towards different types of satisfaction.
Although it is often used to define marketing strategies inside and italy email list 9 millions contact leads outside the business, one of its key benefits is that it reminds us of a truth that managers and marketers sometimes overlook: we are dealing with people! They have different desires, urgencies, and inspirations.
In this post, you will dive deep into human motivation to understand the essence that governs our behavior and understand how Maslow's ideas can and should be used to develop bonds with collaborators and attract more customers to your business. Let's go together to discover more about the topic!
The emergence of Maslow's Theory
The famous Theory of Human Needs was developed and presented by the American psychologist Abraham Maslow , one of the most notable authorities in humanistic psychology, an area dedicated to the study of human behavior and the forces that influence it.
Maslow's first observations were made with monkeys. The psychologist noticed that these animals radically altered their behavior according to certain physiological needs.
Those that were not given food, for example, were much more aggressive, but became docile shortly after satisfying their appetite.
His studies also included research into sexuality and domination in both monkeys and humans, and his findings were published in his 1954 work Theory of Human Motivation , which first illustrated his famous Pyramid of Human Needs.
The layers of Maslow's Pyramid
Maslow's Pyramid is a brilliant representation of his concept, organized in a didactic and functional way.
All essential human needs are described, from the physiological ones that form the base of the pyramid, to the most abstract ones, at the top. We will tell you about them below!
Basis: physiological needs
Physiological needs are those related to our survival, such as breathing, rest, food, hydration and sex. They are the deepest human needs and, when not met, receive all the attention and energy of the individual.