REMEMBERING MASLOW

The survival of the (psychologically) fittest?

Have we thought about, what is happening within the many houses or homes that are hosting forced-social-isolated humans? Are we aware of the intrinsics of the forced lockup due to COVID-19?

As human beings we take pride of freedom in general and because we are rational animals we question everything. We have even questioned the origin of life! Shouldn’t we be questioning the origin of death (CORVID-19)? We are a social oriented specie, with an extraordinary brain and logical thinking capabilities. But, when we are in distress, we all come to basics, emotionally and psychologically. Then is when we must remember Maslow and his theory.

The human brain is a complex system and has parallel processes running at the same time, thus many different motivations from various levels of Maslow’s hierarchy can occur at the same time. Maslow spoke clearly about these levels and their satisfaction in terms such as “relative”, “general”, and “primarily”. Instead of stating that the individual focuses on a certain need at any given time, Maslow stated that a certain need “dominates” the human organism. Thus Maslow acknowledged the likelihood that the different levels of motivation could occur at any time in the human mind, but he focused on identifying the basic types of motivation and the order in which they would tend to be met.

Let’s take a look at physiological needs, Safety needs and Social Belonging, in order to understand what is happening inside our houses and inside our brains amid COVID-19 outbreak.

Physiological needs: a priority

This theory states that humans are compelled to fulfill these physiological needs first in order to pursue intrinsic satisfaction on a higher level. If these needs are not achieved, it leads to an increase in displeasure within an individual. In return, when individuals feel this increase in displeasure, the motivation to decrease these discrepancies increases. Physiological needs can be defined as both traits and a state. Physiological needs as traits allude to long-term, unchanging demands that are required of basic human life. Physiological needs as a state allude to the unpleasant decrease in pleasure and the increase for an incentive to fulfill a necessity. In order to pursue intrinsic motivation higher up Maslow’s hierarchy, Physiological needs must be met first. This means that if a human is struggling to meet their physiological needs, then they are unlikely to intrinsically pursue safety, belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization.

Hence, it as simple as that. Not fulfilling basic physiological needs creates a burden to the achievement of higher states of self esteem, emotional stability and care for others (philanthropy). So, if we are forced to confine ourselves, avoid social interaction, worry only about food and shelter, the we are consciously depraving ourselves of self esteem and confidence state. This is what the world community is going through with this pandemic. And this is the reason why many individuals in several countries, disobey confinement rules, because the utmost need at the moment is food, at the risk of getting the virus.

Safety needs: The need to need

Once a person’s physiological needs are relatively satisfied, their safety needs take precedence and dominate behavior. In the absence of physical safety – due to war, natural disaster, family violence, etc. – people may (re-)experience post-traumatic stress disorder. In the absence of economic safety – due to an economic crisis and lack of work opportunities – these safety needs manifest themselves in ways such as a preference for job security, grievance procedures for protecting the individual from unilateral authority, savings accounts, insurance policies, disability accommodations, etc. Safety and security needs are about keeping us safe from harm. These include shelter, job security, health, and safe environments. If a person does not feel safe in an environment, they will seek to find safety before they attempt to meet any higher level of survival, but the need for safety is not as important as basic physiological needs. Safety and Security needs include: Personal security, emotional security, financial security, health & Well-being.

Social belonging: The expectation post confinement

After physiological and safety needs are fulfilled, the third level of human needs are seen to be interpersonal and involves feelings of belongingness. Deficiencies within this level of Maslow’s hierarchy – due to hospitals, neglect, shunning, ostracism, etc. – can adversely affect the individual’s ability to form and maintain emotionally significant relationships in general. Social Belonging needs include: friendship, intimacy, family.

According to Maslow, humans possess an affective need for a sense of belonging and acceptance among social groups, regardless of whether these groups are large or small. For example, some large social groups may include clubs, co-workers, religious groups, professional organizations, sports teams, gangs, and online communities.

Some examples of small social connections include family members, intimate partners, mentors, colleagues, and confidants. Humans need to love and be loved – both sexually and non-sexually – by others. Many people become susceptible to loneliness, social anxiety, and clinical depression in the absence of this love or belonging element.

This need for belonging may overcome the physiological and security needs, depending on the strength of the peer pressure. In contrast, for some individuals, the need for self-esteem is more important than the need for belonging; and for others, the need for creative fulfillment may supersede even the most basic needs.

Summing up, our world community has been brought down the hierarchy of needs to the bottom of the pyramid. Jeopardizing the second level, safety needs, jobless communities, post-pandemic trauma, grieving for the gone and standing in front of uncertainty, for the world as we know it will and must change.