Psychological Needs Theory

Keywords: motivation, emotion, homeostasis, psychological needs, physiological needs, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, need for relatedness, competition, exchange relationship, communal relationship, punishment, reward, environment, identity

The psychologists believe that individual’s behaviour is linked with the inner thoughts and self-image. The idea is that due to free will people change often. It is humans’ responsibility on how their well-being and lives carry on. This is because we are capable of striving to achieve the best, self-actualisation desire.

It is undeniable that Maslow is one of the most famous and influential psychologists, whose theory is a base for various motivation theories. Maslow`s Hierarchy of Needs theory explains the drives and the urges that govern human behavior. However, there were many other famous psychologists influencing Maslow during his lifetime; indeed, this fact greatly shaped his professional stance and theory (citation).

Everyone has certain needs that must be met in order to live a happy and fulfilling life. These needs are divided into three specific types which are physical, psychological, and social needs. Abraham Maslow, an expert in human behavior, along with Carl Rogers used these three general types to develop a larger hierarchy of human needs for self-actualization. Even though there is discontentment or unending needs of a person, one 's needs must be satisfied in order for him or her to be happy. People whose needs were met are particularly in good mental health but if a need fails to be met then pathological effects may ensue.

Throughout life, one’s personality is a very important aspect of that individual’s wellbeing. Such characteristics are not only used by others in attempts to understand their peers, but also determine one’s own satisfaction and view of themselves. People are always attempting to change who they are for the better, in efforts to live a more satisfying and self-fulfilling life through achieving higher personal needs. With that said, when studying the psychological basis behind one’s development and change in personality, one specific theory and stance seems to explain this phenomenon of bettering one’s self; that of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

In conclusion, a person must go through a series of step/stages to reach “self-actualization.” They must achieve his/his “safety” and “physiological” needs “(basic needs).” “Esteem” and “belongingness and love” needs “(psychological needs)” to reach the stage of “self-actualization.” Psychological theories helps us better understand why a character does what he/she did. Using the psychological theory can help people reach the stage of self-actualization. Although, some may not reach this stage due to natural or un-natural

Physiological 1. Breath normally 2. Eat and drink adequately 3. Eliminate body wastes 4. Move and maintain desirable postures 5. Sleep and rest 6.Select suitable clothes - dress and undress 7. Maintain body temperature within normal range by adjusting clothing and modifying the environment. 8. Keep the body clean and well groomed and protect the integument. 9.Avoid dangers in the environment and avoid injuring others. 10.Communicate with others in expressing emotions, needs, fears, or opinions. 14.Learn, discover, or satisfy the curiosity that leads to normal development and health and use the available health facilities. Spiritual 11.Worship according to one’s faith. Sociological 12. Work in such a way that

However, before individuals can begin making positive life decisions, it is important for them to understand that human beings are motivated by love and belonging, power, freedom, survival and fun (Glasser & Wubbolding, n.d.). It is through the examination of these basic needs that patients can find self-awareness and consequently, work

As human beings, we have all experienced the notion of being plagued by a single, paralyzing, and perhaps irrational fear. Often seen as a point of weakness and fragility, fear is an integral part of human nature and for the most part, cannot be destroyed, but merely conquered. Touching Bottom follows the female protagonist in her endeavors through her life in relation to her fear. A major variable in her life is swimming and being around water, as the story kicks off with her struggles in learning to swim. She undergoes a traumatizing experience with a leech at summer camp, leaving her paralyzed with a fear of murky water, and leeches specifically, a fear she carries on with her throughout her life. Forward to the protagonist as a married

The pursuit of happiness is the universal search for a life an individual can feel content and satisfied with. However, as stated in class, happiness is a fleeting emotion rather than a prolonged state. Once an individual achieves a sense of happiness it is only a matter of time before they return to the starting point of their quest. Therefore, happiness alone is not enough to elicit a good life. On a similar note, in 2004, Professor Martin Seligman gave a TED talk that addressed the current direction of psychology. He believed the extent of psychology had become the ability to “make miserable people feel less miserable” rather than “[making] relatively untroubled people happier.” As a result, he and his colleagues developed positive psychology, a branch of psychology that promotes the components of happiness, well-being, and fulfillment to achieve a satisfactory life. The purpose of this project is to learn about your well-being and discover ways to increase the quality of your life through positive psychology.

Physiological needs, such as food and shelter, are followed by needs related to safety. Next, there are needs of love and belonging. Fourth, humans have needs of esteem, such as the need for being respected. The final need in the hierarchy is the need for self-actualization (fulfilling one's potential). The hierarchy suggests that basic needs must be met prior to less basic needs; for example, a starving person will seek food before self-actualization.”(Maslow,

Human beings have a need for self-actualization that involves growing towards courage, kindness, knowledge, love, honesty, and unselfishness. When we fulfill this need, we feel serene, joyful, filled with zest, sometimes euphoric, and generally happy. When we act contrary to our need for self-actualization, we experience anxiety, despair, boredom, shame, emptiness and are generally unable to enjoy ourselves. (Singer 327-328).

According to Seligman (2000), positive psychology is a science that “promises to improve the quality of life” through positive individual traits, experiences and institutions (p.5). Positive psychology plays an essential role and articulates a view of good life, which can show what actions of a person would lead to well-being and into positive individuals (Seligman, 2000, p.5). Seligman formed this focus of positive psychology to study the happiness and well-being of individuals. He believed this exclusive new focus emphasizes attention on individuals’ flourishment and their ability to thrive in their commonalities and institutions. Similar to Seligman, Gable and Haidt (2005) believed that positive psychology takes an aim to study “the other side of the coin”; the ways people express their emotions and build healthy relationship with their families and institutions (p.104-105). According to Linley, Govindji and West (2007), positive psychology has grown into the study of what is right for people, particularly within the topics of strengths and happiness (p.44-45).However the negatives in life are not forgotten it is simply overridden by the focus of what makes people thrive in happiness (Gable & Haidt, 2005, p.104).Therefore the focus of positive psychology alternated from pathology to forward growth of people to be simply defined as the “science of optimal human functioning” (Linley, Govindji and West, 2007

Human Nature According to Psychoanalysis and the Humanistic Psychology As Carl Jung stated “ As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of

The behaviour of an individual at a particular moment is usually determined by his strongest need. Psychologies claim that needs have a certain priority. As the more basis needs are satisfied, an individual seeks to satisfy the higher needs. If his basic need sere not met, efforts to satisfy the higher need should be postponed.