According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which of the following is the LEAST pressing need?
A) physiological needs
B) social needs
C) esteem needs
D) self-actualization needs
E) safety needs
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is D) self-actualization needs.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a psychological theory that categorizes human needs into five distinct levels, from basic to higher-order needs. These levels, in order of importance, are:
- Physiological needs: These are the basic biological requirements for human survival, such as air, water, food, sleep, and shelter.
- Safety needs: Once physiological needs are met, safety needs become the next priority. These needs involve physical and emotional security, protection from harm, stability, and freedom from fear.
- Social needs (belongingness and love needs): After safety needs are fulfilled, individuals seek relationships, friendships, and social connections. These needs are associated with the desire for affection, love, and a sense of belonging to a group.
- Esteem needs: Esteem needs involve the desire for respect, recognition, and self-esteem. This includes the need for accomplishment, status, prestige, and confidence.
- Self-actualization needs: At the top of Maslow’s hierarchy, self-actualization refers to the desire for personal growth, creativity, and fulfillment of one’s potential. It involves becoming the best version of oneself, achieving personal goals, and experiencing deep personal insight or enlightenment.
Explanation:
Maslow posited that people cannot focus on fulfilling higher-level needs like self-actualization until their more fundamental needs, such as physiological, safety, social, and esteem needs, are met. Self-actualization needs are the least pressing because they are associated with self-improvement and personal growth, which typically come after all the foundational needs are satisfied. People are less likely to focus on becoming their “ideal self” if they are struggling to meet basic survival needs (physiological) or feel unsafe or unloved.
In contrast, physiological, safety, social, and esteem needs directly impact an individual’s survival, stability, and psychological well-being, so these must be prioritized before one can even begin to focus on self-actualization.