The five elements of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, also known as the hierarchy of perceived needs, are the primary need, the secondary need, the emotional need, the intellectual need and the need for the self.
Primary Need
The primary need is defined as the need that gives us a sense of safety and security, and which, among other things, satisfies the need for security. This could be a primary need for people to survive, or it could be one of the deeper needs that motivates us to pursue particular activities. In order to meet this need, people may have to make sacrifices or face a great deal of pain. For example, the person with a primary need for security might become a criminal because they have to leave their home or family in order to secure their safety.
Second Need
The second most basic need, the secondary need, is associated with our need for social interaction, for recognition and praise. The need for social interaction could be fulfilled by getting into politics, economics or art, for instance, where the rewards for our behavior will likely be social recognition and praise. Sometimes, however, the need for recognition may override the need for social acceptance, and people will engage in unlawful or dangerous behavior in order to satisfy this need. This is why people who have low self-esteem are usually more criminal than those with high self-esteem.
Third Needs
The third level of needs is the need for intellectual stimulation, which could also be satisfied through education or training.
Fourth Need
The fourth need is related to our need for energy, which can also be satisfied through work or sport.
Fifth Need
The fifth need is for social contact, which could be satisfied through friendships and relationships. These are the basic needs, but in order for humans to thrive, they must combine these with the other seven to form the larger need for human competence, or the base of all higher needs.
In modern society, these needs tend to be satisfied through money, fame and status, rather than out of necessity. However, all of these need to be balanced, just as all of them are in a balanced way in any other system of needs. The Maslow Hierarchy shows us that we must make sure that the different needs of people are met in the right balance so that we all have some basic needs that are easily met and that help to support our higher needs. And if there is not enough support for higher needs, some people will go into decline, while others will become unhappy, depressed or even addicted to some form of addiction.
These needs are related to our environmental health in that they are also related to our personal health and well-being. When people have all of their needs satisfied, they will be happier and healthier. They will have greater success in their relationships and workplaces, and they will have greater success in the accumulation of wealth. When people have all their needs satisfied, they will have greater emotional well-being, and they will have greater confidence and self-esteem. When people have all of their needs met, they will feel in control of their lives and their relationships and they will have greater success with building and maintaining healthy relationships. When people have all of their needs met, they will have greater financial success, and they will have greater ability to contribute to the world.
It is important to realize that all of our relationships are at least in part governed by our need to belong. In most cases, people do not have an actual need for belonging to anything; however, for some people belonging is a necessity for a fulfilling relationship. Other people’s needs related to family can also come into play. There are a variety of other needs that people may have, but it is important to remember that all needs related to human relationships are derived from the need to belong.
