Georgiana Angus

MASLOWS HEIRARCHY

WHAT IS THIS?

Maslow's triangle suggests the idea that if one of the needs on the lower levels is not met, then you can not fully move a level up. For example, if some of the basic needs are not met you cant move up to fulfil the psychological needs, and so on.

To me this idea is rather close minded and offensive. It implies that if you don't have complete and utter safety, then you are not allowed to have friends and family. It perpetuates the idea that you are not a good and complete human if you can't fulfil some of the requirements.

However, you can see where he drew these conclusions from. For instance the basic, physiological needs must be fulfilled in order for the human body to function correctly and efficiently. The safety needs also play an important part in human development. Without a safe environment growing up, or as an adult can lead to psychological problems and thus they may not be able to form safe and functional relationships, and thus can't achieve a psychologically healthy life.

This chain of events can keep going and domino and in the end the person will not be able to reach the final step.

Even though you can see the reason behind his theory, I feel that he has tried to do something that is impossible to achieve, and that is putting humans and their behaviour into clean cut boxes. Humans are much more complex than a couple of boxes telling you what you can and can't be and do. Every person and their situation is very different and thus can't be separated numerically, unless he want to make 7 billion different boxes.

 

HOW IS THIS USEFUL TO MEDIA?

As Maslow based most of his studies of western society some of the triangle holds relevance to audience research. Western culture is considered a rich and privileged society and we can afford to spend money and time on things that do not contribute to our basic needs but rather increases our quality of living. According to Maslow's triangle we have fulfilled all of the lower levels and can contribute to self- fulfilment needs without worry that we wont have our basic needs met because of this.