Maslow's hierarchy of needs

MASLOW'S HIERARCHY of NEEDS in CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Introduction to Maslow's Hierarchy-of-Needs Theory of Personality Development

Abraham Maslow helped establish the field of humanistic psychology in the middle of the 20th century (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008). His observations led him to postulate that all human beings develop psychologically in similar stages or phases corresponding to classes of fundamental psychological needs. Maslow outlined a Hierarchy of Needs depicted in the shape of a pyramid to represent the successive levels of psychological needs at various stages of life and psychological development (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008).

The other main component of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs concept was that successful completion of each phase of psychological needs on the hierarchy is a prerequisite for progressing to subsequent levels (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008). The implications of Maslow's concepts are different for different types of industries and organizations. Within law enforcement in particular, the fourth of Maslow's five hierarchical layers is tremendously important and it is one of the principal bases of professional motivation and personal identity throughout the field (Schmalleger, 2008).

The Significance of Maslow's Developmental Stages

Maslow's first developmental stage relates to physiological needs such as breathing and biological homeostasis (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008). Maslow's second developmental stage relates to the physical safety and security of the individual, such as from external threats to life and limb. Maslow's third developmental stage relates to the need of the individual for companionship and close personal bonds such as with family by blood and marriage. It is the set of needs that arise during this stage of psychological development that plays a substantial motivational role for human courtship and pair bonding formalized in the institution of marriage (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008).

According to Maslow, satisfaction of needs arising during the fourth stage, the need for esteem, often play a tremendous role in shaping the lives of the adult in modern society (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008). This stage of development includes the need of the individual to feel that he or she is held in high regard by others, viewed positively, and appreciated in the community. Many successful politicians and business leaders are highly motivated by the many issues and perceptual impulses generated by the fundamental need for esteem.

However, this need can motivate both positive and negative behavior, depending on the target community whose esteem is valued by the individual. In that regard, this stage of Maslow's Hierarchy of needs can represent a sharp double edge: the human need for esteem can be the source of virtually any behavior that is held in high regard (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008). Therefore, in communities and societies with positive and benevolent ideals, the need for esteem motivates positive behavior. Conversely, in communities swept by negative malevolent sentiment, many individuals will be unable to resist the needs associated with Maslow's fourth level of psychological needs. Therein lies the danger that is capable of giving rise to Nazism (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008) or perpetuating American Slavery for almost three centuries.

Maslow's fifth stage of human psychological development is a level that Maslow called "self-actualization" (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008). According to Maslow, many individuals never reach this final stage of psychological development because they never sufficiently negotiate the major needs arising in the previous stage. Generally, self-actualization describes a psychological stage where the individual achieves greater self-awareness than previously in life and gains a perspective or overall view of his or her life in relation to the rest of the world that corresponds to a certain psychological calm and stability.

Finally, there is also evidence of physiological processes, such as some of the characteristic hormonal changes in both genders that are functions of aging. Males approaching retirement age or becoming grandfathers gain perspective by virtue of their age and experiences, but they also produce much less testosterone which also contributes to their psychological evolution into the self-actualized level of psychological development (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008).

Relevance to Employment Motivation, Performance, and Vocational Satisfaction

Generally, most people work in contemporary society because they need to earn a monetary living to support their needs. On Maslow's hierarchical scale, anything that threatens the ability of the individual to maintain gainful employment and a safe place to sleep and live automatically reverts his or her psychological focus back to the second level of his Hierarchy of Needs (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008). Therefore, there is a fundamental transactional nature to the relationship between vocational employment and the benefits to the individual (George & Jones, 2008).

However, a very large number of contemporary employees enjoy steady, secure, and sufficiently compensated employment benefits that their primary psychological orientation outside of the family is their need for esteem in the community. Some individuals seek to satisfy those needs mainly away from work and do not necessarily seek companionship or the esteem of others in the workplace; others may do the exact opposite, establishing primary relationships in the workplace instead of close relationships in the community outside of work. In terms of psychological evolution along Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs scale, it makes little difference whether one seeks to fulfill the need for the esteem of others at work or outside of work. Nevertheless, certain occupations and fields of employment lend themselves naturally much more to the connection to Maslow's fourth level of development than employment within other industries.