Can someone briefly explain Maslows hierarchy of needs in your own words so that I will understand theory?

Answer 1

Maslow felt like there were certain basic needs that we have to have met before we can even think about other needs.

on the bottom are physiological needs like food and water - we can't worry about a place to sleep (next level needs) unless we have food to eat first.

the second level is safety: shelter, a job, etc...

the next level is family and love: we can't worry about needing a girl friend if we haven't met the 1st and 2nd level needs of food and a place to live.

the 4th level is self-esteem: after we have food and shelter and friends, then we can worry about how we feel about ourselves and how others feel about us. We can start to improve our position in society.

The top level is self-actualization: this is where we create and do things because it's what we want to do. We can't worry about this one until we get above all of the others.

It's not a perfect theory but it's pretty useful for understand people's motivation.

Starving, homeless people rarely sit down to compose a symphony for example.

Answer 2

Maslow contructed the hiararchy of needs to explain that unless your basic needs are being met, you can never achieve higher needs. For example, if you do not have food to eat, clothes to wear and a roof over your head (level 1) you can never feel safe (level 2). If you never achieve a level of feeling safe, you can never feel a sense of belonging, a sense of being accepted or being loved (level 3), because you are always too worried about your safety. If you never reach level 3, you cannot reach level 4, which is having self-esteem. This goes on until his highest level of self-actualization.

Answer 3

It shows, in order of which you must obtain first, what people need to live happy, healthy lives.