Plain English Meaning

People have needs that stack from basic to advanced. You have to take care of the basics — being fed, rested, and safe — before you can focus well on things like learning, achievement, or growth. If a lower need isn't met, it tends to dominate attention until it is.

Full Definition

A model of human motivation proposed by psychologist Abraham Maslow that arranges human needs into five ascending levels: physiological (food, water, rest), safety (security, stability), social (belonging, affection), esteem (recognition, self-respect), and self-actualization (reaching one's full potential). Lower- needs generally must be reasonably satisfied before a is motivated to pursue higher-level needs.