Download COL 105 Self Discovery/ Self Assessment

COL 105 MASLOW’S
THEORY OF MOTIVATION
Maslow’s Theory: Assumptions
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Humans are motivated by unsatisfied needs
Pursuing these needs leads us to growth
Needs must be satisfied before we can act
unselfishly
Satisfying needs is healthy, while preventing
gratification makes us sick or act in evil ways
An individual must satisfy basic needs before
he/she can satisfy higher level needs
Maslow’s Theory: Activity
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With your group, organize the word strips with needs.
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Place the needs that are most basic on the bottom
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Place the needs that are more complex above them
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
http://two.not2.org/psychosynthesis/articles/maslow.gif
Physiological Needs:
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Air
Food
Water
Sleep
According to Maslow, if these needs are not met,
higher needs such as social needs or esteem cannot
be satisfied.
Safety Needs
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Physical Safety
Medical Safety (insurance)
Job Security
Financial Safety (reserves)
Once one’s physical needs are met, he/she turns to
satisfying the need for safety from physical &
emotional harm.
If a person feels threatened, higher needs will not
receive attention or be fulfilled
Social Needs
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Friendship
Belonging to a group
Giving/Receiving love
After we meet our physiological & safety needs, we
can turn our attention to our relationships
Social needs are related to our interactions with
others
Esteem Needs:
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Internal Esteem
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External Esteem
 Accomplishment
 Recognition
 Self-respect
 Attention
 Self
 Social
Esteem
Status
After someone has met their need to “belong” (social
needs), the urge to achieve importance becomes
important.
Self-Actualization
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The quest to reach one’s full potential as a person
Motivators are:
 Truth
 Justice
 Wisdom
 Meaning
Self-Actualized people have “peak experiences” in which
they are energized by happiness and harmony.
Applying Maslow’s Theory to Work
Workplace motivation & performance enhanced by:
 Physiological:
Provide generous breaks for lunch & rest,
pay salaries that enable employees to care for needs
 Safety: Safe working environment, job security,
freedom from threats
 Social: community of acceptance, belonging, teamwork
 Esteem: Recognize achievements, important projects,
status in the workplace
 Self-Actualization: challenging & meaningful work
assignments: creativity, innovation, progress toward
goals
Maslow’s Theory: Criticisms
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Recent research challenges the order of the needs
in Maslow’s hierarchy pyramid
Some people are not well described by the theory
(ex: starving artist, Doctors without borders)
Very little evidence that people satisfy just one
need at a time (it’s more complex than that)
Bibliography
Envision Software (2007). Maslow’s theory of
motivation – Hierarchy of needs. Retrieved from
http://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Maslows
_Needs_Hierarchy.html