Abraham Maslow
Hierarchy of Needs
Founder of humanistic psychology; author of the 1943 needs hierarchy.
Career Direction cluster · 9 entries in the library
One entry in the expert directory — an editorial profile. Last updated: September 27, 2026.
In short
Abraham Maslow (1908–1970) was an American psychologist who founded humanistic psychology. His 1943 paper "A Theory of Human Motivation" proposed that needs arrange in levels — physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, self-actualization — and that lower needs claim attention before higher ones open up.
1. The framework
Maslow never drew the famous pyramid; he described priorities, not a strict ladder. What survives in applied settings is the insight that motivation is situational: what you need from work shifts as lower needs are met, which is why the same job satisfies differently across life stages.
In this library the hierarchy anchors the career-values reflections: clarifying what you currently need from work — security, belonging, recognition, or growth — before choosing what to pursue next.
2. Where critics push back
Researchers point out the hierarchy was built from clinical observation rather than controlled studies, and that the ordering of needs is looser in practice than in the diagram. Maslow himself described the levels as overlapping, not exclusive.
3. Explore in the library
Entries in this library built on Hierarchy of Needs — each with its honest limits.
Work Values Reflection
What do you need from work right now?
Career Values
A structured reflection on work values.
Choosing a Career Direction
Combine values, traits, and strengths into a direction.
More frameworks and tools in the Career Direction cluster.
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This is an editorial profile of a published framework — referenced, not affiliated. Scene photos are illustrative, not portraits.