Maslow's Theory of Motivation

The history of science knows many attempts to substantiate thoseor other motives of human activity, it seems that this question should generally be considered in the context of "eternal" questions, and put on a par with such as "who I am", "for what I", "what can I do," and so on. Among modern concepts aimed at answering the question of the motives of human activity, one can cite the theory of Alderfer's growth, the doctrine of acquired needs, the developer of which is McClelland, the concept of two factors of Herzberg and several others.

In the mid-fifties of the last centuryA significant resonance in the scientific world was caused by Maslow's theory of motivation, which the scientist developed, initially focusing on the need for the formation of modern systems for managing social and economic behavior in a postindustrial society.

As starting points of his doctrine, A. Maslow proceeded from the adoption of such provisions, which then became prerequisites for formulating the basic ideas of the theory of motivation.

So, Maslow argued that human needs- the fact is objective, while at the different stages of its existence it can be experienced by some of them, then others. Moreover, some of them can be inherent throughout life, and others - sporadically. On this basis, the scientist draws a conclusion about the existence of some hierarchy in the needs of the person, and, consequently, about the motives that they form. According to theory motivation Maslow, in the course of life, the needs that are not met, prompt to activities aimed at their satisfaction.

Further, if some of them are already satisfied, thenthey, in turn, form the motives for "taking" a higher level. Based on such a ranking, the classification of A. Maslow took the form of a pyramid, in the basis of which he put the needs, satisfaction of which, is a priority task. These are physiological: in food, rest, sleep and other factors of the elementary physical life-support of the individual. According to Maslow's theory of motivation, the needs that are already satisfied do not induce a person to be active, and besides, their structure is dynamic - one is replaced by ones that are already satisfied, others come - unsatisfied.

The pyramid of needs for A. Maslow, contains five levels (or steps).

At the first stage are those thatprovide a person an elementary survival in the natural environment as a biological being. It is the need for a clean atmosphere, water, shelter, food, rest and so on.

The second stage is occupied by needs, based onwhich motivates the development of their own security, and here the motivation for Maslow provides not only physical aspects, but also social - these are the motives for good work, to have higher wages, to live more comfortably, to receive medical care, etc.

The most ordinary social needs of a person arerecognition, communication, maintaining partnership and friendly relations, in organizing and maintaining collective life forms are located in the middle of the Maslow pyramid.

At the fourth stage Maslow's theory of motivationprovides for the location of needs that mediate and determine the motives of a high social level - motivating to activities that ensure social recognition, the achievement of power status, claims for public recognition of human merits before society.

The fifth stage is occupied with needs initiating motives of personal social significance. Here, people are motivated to achieve high creative indicators and their recognition by society.

Since, the theory of motivation Maslow assumes,that the links in the pyramid are dynamic, that is, the attainment of one need, forms a new, and then a motive, to its satisfaction, it is important to imagine and be able to answer the question, what happens when a person reaches the fifth, the last, the apical stage?

A. Maslow answers this question in such a way that achieving such a level does not at all mean that there is a disappearance or some weakening of the needs of the motives for activity.