Five Personality Traits

Discuss the five (5) levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and give an example of each level.

Maslow's hierarchy consists of five different levels. In the extended version there are eight. The first four are called the basic needs or deficiency needs. The reason why he also named them deficiency needs was because if you ever find yourself deficient in these needs they will motivate you into action. The four remaining needs are called the higher order needs which are also referred to as the being needs because they deal mostly with self-actualization and being the best that you can be.

That said I will proceed to explain each one of the levels of this needs.

1. Physiological needs these are the physical needs of our physical body to survive for example water, food, and sleep just to mention a few. These are the basic needs that all of us are motivated by. When a person is hungry they want to eat, thirsty they want a drink and sleepy they want to rest. Another example is a poor country with lack of food the motivation for this people is to find food to fulfill that basic survival need. Maslow's estimated that around 85 percent of American’s are able to satisfy those physiological needs.

2. Safety needs is the need to feel we are not in physical danger and have a sense of security and safety. A prime example would be setting the house or car alarm before we leave the premises. Also another example would be taking the car to get a checkup such as tire pressure, oil change, etc... To ensure safety measures are always on check.

3.  Love and belonging or social needs is the need to communicate with others to have intimate relationships, friends and family and your intimate perceptual relationship. In essence, the need to be social and interact with people. When this need is not being met we feel a sense of loneliness and depressed. You feel like not going anywhere, not talking to anyone just being alone. In plain words it’s a need of belonging. According to Maslow 50% of people satisfy this need.

4. Esteem needs is the last of the basic needs. Maslow made an important distinction that one part is your reputation or what people think of you and the other is part is self-respect. A prime example for men is buying a very expensive car to feel respected and acknowledged and in women is usually with beauty. Some need to be on the spotlight at all times to feel respected, beautiful and enhance the perception of other people towards them.

When the basic needs are satisfied people proceed more or less automatically to the next level. This level is called self-actualization or growth needs. This need is being who you are; being the best that you can be living up to your true potential. Other aspects of self-actualization is being spontaneous, creative and giving your all to prove you are the best.