What is Maslow's Hierarchy?

Maslow's Hierarchy is a mental model used for better thinking and decision-making.

How do you apply Maslow's Hierarchy?

To apply Maslow's Hierarchy, identify situations where this framework is relevant, then use it as a lens to evaluate your options and decisions. The model is most useful when combined with other complementary mental models.

What category does Maslow's Hierarchy fall under?

Maslow's Hierarchy falls under the Psychology & Behavior category of mental models. Other models in this category can be found on the Psychology & Behavior hub page.

Why is Maslow's Hierarchy important?

Maslow's Hierarchy is important because it provides a structured way to think about problems that would otherwise be approached with intuition alone. Understanding this model helps you avoid common reasoning errors and make better decisions.

Where does Maslow's Hierarchy come from?

Maslow's Hierarchy is discussed in the tradition of Abraham Maslow.

Maslow's Hierarchy Mental Model…

Abraham Maslow published "A Theory of Human Motivation" in 1943 and proposed five levels of need: physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization. Lower needs must be satisfied before higher ones motivate. You don't optimise for meaning when you're starving. The hierarchy's central claim: identify which level your people are stuck on, or your interventions will miss.

The pyramid — which Maslow never actually drew; a management textbook author added it later — became one of the most reproduced diagrams in psychology. It matches intuitive experience. A software engineer negotiating for a corner office is not worried about her next meal. A refugee fleeing a war zone is not optimising for creative fulfilment. The hierarchy maps the progression from survival to significance.

The criticisms are real. The hierarchy isn't rigid — people pursue art while hungry. Van Gogh undermines the progression. Cultural bias exists: collectivist cultures often place belonging above esteem. Wahba and Bridwell's 1976 review found weak empirical support for strict prepotency. The insight still holds: you can't motivate with purpose if people fear for their jobs. Netflix pays top of market so people can focus on work, not rent. Amazon's "earn trust" principle — psychological safety before innovation. The strategic use: diagnose what level your team is stuck on.

Maslow's Hierarchy

Continue exploring

Popular Mental Models

The Core Idea

This connects to...

Continue exploring

More like this, in your inbox

Popular Mental Models

The Core Idea

This connects to...