Exploring Grief and Self-Transcendence Insights

Abraham Maslow’s pyramidal “Hierarchy of Needs” model is a highly-influential way of organizing human needs from the most “basic” to the most advanced. Maslow’s argument is that the most basic needs must be met before people can move “up” to the more advanced needs. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid. From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, the needs are: physiological (food and clothing), safety (job security), love and belonging needs (friendship), esteem, and self-actualization. Needs lower down in the hierarchy must be satisfied before individuals can attend to higher needs. What is not as commonly known about Maslow is that toward the end of his life, he began to have some doubts about this model and just prior to his death added a 6th stage at the top of the pyramid called “Self-Transcendence” and today we review the standard hierarchy and finish by discussing at length the missing piece, Self-Transcendence.

RESOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow’s_hierarchy_of_needs

https://www.wichita.edu/services/mrc/OIR/Pedagogy/Theories/maslow.php

https://www.thecareerproject.org/blog/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs/

https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4136760

https://www.thoughtco.com/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4582571

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs