Basic biological needs generally take precedence over psychological needs. If two needs are incompatible, the more basic one is usually satisfied first. filling needs, and under the most common circumstances, both a need and a drive can be identified in motivated behavior, particularly when physiological needs are involved. However, there are also drives such as curiosity, which don't depend on deprivation and for physiological, safety and security needs, must be satisfied before higher-order needs for love and belongingness, esteem, and finally for http://www.arches.uga.edu/~danni/maslow1.gif
While Maslow's hierarchy makes sense intuitively, little evidence exists to support its strict hierarchy. Actually, most research refutes the order of needs the model spcifies. For example, some cultures seem to place social needs before others. Maslow's hierarchy also has difficulty when, for example, a person neglects physical needs in pursuit of aesthetic or spiritual ones. Finally, studies show that people are usually motivated to satisfy more than one need at a time, except in situations where needs conflict. Although Maslow's hierarchy is limited, it set the foundation for motivational thought...
These issues are: Is motivation internal or dispositional to the individual or is it the result of external or situational forces? Are some people more highly motivated across all situations while others lack motivation in all situational contexts? What is the relative effectiveness of extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation? Are people innately motivated or are they more encouraged by the expectation of external rewards? Is motivation a learned behavior? What is the comparative impact of cognitive vs. affective nature of motivation? Is motivation explained best as a process by which individuals make well thought out intellectual choices among alternatives, or is it based on emotion and whim?
Prochaska, Norcross and DiClemente (1994) have proposed a six-stage model that is applicable in the motivation process. In the process of personal change, it is typical for a person to go around a series of stages in a cyclical fashion before achieving stable change.
