MASLOW’S MISTAKES

A NEW THEORY OF MOTIVATION

Katalin Tamas
Institute of Psychology, University of Szeged
katalintamas@yahoo.com
00 36 30 364 0 364

1 MASLOW'S MISTAKES. A new theory of motivation.

Katalin Tamas, katalintamas@yahoo.com
 The myth of the Maslow Pyramid, critics of Maslow's hierarchy
of needs, and a new theory of motivation.
If you’ve ever attended a university, visited a motivational course or a self-improvement
training, you have probably come across with the Maslow pyramid. This model was
created in 1948, and it has become one of the best-known theories of motivation in
human beings, used in business, psychology, marketing and education.

This intuitive, easily interpretable, cognitively attractive model, which tidying up the chaos
of motives is highly alluring. But there is one problem with it: it’s more likely to be false.

M ASLOW ’ S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

In line with other models of developmental psychology, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
describes stages of human growth. Maslow used the names of Physiological needs, Safety
needs, Social belonging, Self-esteem, Self-actualization to these stations, and thought
them to be specific to humans. In his first model he used 5, in the latest, 8 stages, and they
were arranged into two groups:

D EFICIENCY , “D” NEEDS

Basic “deficiency needs” or “D-needs” arise due to deprivation, and when not satisfied,
the individual will feel anxious and tense.

 Physiological needs: homeostasis, health, food, water, sleep,

clothes, shelter
 Safety needs: personal/emotional/financial security, predictability
 Social belonging: intimacy, requited relationship
 Self-esteem: recognition from others, status, importance

G ROWTH OR BEING , “B” NEEDS

Growth or being needs, “B-needs” do not stem from a lack of something, but rather from
a desire to grow as a person, and cannot be satisfied fully.

 Cognitive needs: knowledge and understanding, curiosity,

exploration, need for meaning and predictability.
 Aesthetic needs: appreciation and search for beauty, balance, form
 Self-actualization: realizing personal potential, self-fulfillment
 Transcendence: being motivated by values which transcend beyond
the personal self (like mystical experiences, service to others)

2 MASLOW'S MISTAKES. A new theory of motivation.

Katalin Tamas, katalintamas@yahoo.com
 Maslow thought that these needs can be arranged in a hierarchy. He believed, that when
a deficit need has been 'more or less' satisfied, it will go away, and the activities of the
person become directed towards meeting the next set of needs. He also stated, that in a
person one set of needs is dominant.

1. FIGURE - M ASLOW ' S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

M ASLOW ’ S PYRAMID
Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs is often represented by a pyramid (as I did it
above), where the more basic needs are at the bottom, and more self-fulfillment needs
are toward the top.

Although in public awareness the pyramid itself is the hierarchy of needs, Maslow has
never used the word pyramid or represented his hierarchy this way.

3 MASLOW'S MISTAKES. A new theory of motivation.

Katalin Tamas, katalintamas@yahoo.com
 C RITICS OF M ASLOW
The hierarchy ideated by Maslow is not true in several cases, as numerous research
studies have confirmed:

 THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF HIERARCHY – There are many creative people (like

Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Victor Frankl) who lived among less than ideal physical
conditions and at the same time achieved self-actualization. Also, according to
the research of Wahba and Bridwell (1976), there is little evidence for the ranking
of needs or for the existence of a definite hierarchy at all. Tay and Diener's
research (2011) supported the view that universal human needs appear to exist.
However, Maslow’s hierarchy and ordering found not to be correct.

 THE SEQUENCE OF THE HIERARCHY IS NOT SUFFICIENT – According to Geert

Hofstede (1984), hierarchy of individualistic and collectivist societies is different.

 ROLE OF SEX – Many has criticized (see Kenrick, 2010), that Maslow's hierarchy
places sex in the physiological needs category, solely from an individualistic
perspective, neglecting the emotional, familial, and evolutionary implications of
sex within the community.

 CHANGE WITH AGE – According to Goebel’s research (1981), children had higher
physical need scores than the other groups, the love need emerged from
childhood to young adulthood, the esteem need was highest among the
adolescent group, young adults had the highest self-actualization level, and old
age had the highest level of security.

 CONNECTION AND COMMUNICATION – Not a single need can be satisfied

without connecting or communicating with the outer environment. At the same
time, belonging and connection needs are only at the third place in the hierarchy.

A NEW MODEL OF MOTIVA TION – C ATALYSIS

I created a new model of motivation, which in my hopes tells more about basic motives,
about their change in time and space, and about the connection of these basic motives.

It contains seven distinct motivational categories – this number helps to avoid the
pluralistic mistakes of Gestalt therapists (Kurt Lewin), as well as the overgeneralization of
holistic models (Goldstein), where there is only one motivation, self-actualization.

4 MASLOW'S MISTAKES. A new theory of motivation.

Katalin Tamas, katalintamas@yahoo.com
 A NEW MOTIVATION AL MO DEL
Many of the existing motivational models assume two different forces - one which
resolves boundaries and results similarity, and the other which creates boundaries and
results differences. These are the two conflicting and complementary forces which spans
the endpoints of Catalysis model as well. On one end of the range, the individual wants to
maintain integrity (Boundaries +), while on the other end she wants to dissolve into a
bigger unity (Boundaries -). Each form of life tries to find an equilibrium between these
two forces which allows to successfully adapt to the environment in every moment: this is
the continually changing point of equilibrium (Harmony).

These three basic motivations relate to the structural model of Freud: id (Boundaries +),
ego (Harmony), superego (Boundaries -), and to the communication theory of aggression
(Boundaries +), assertiveness (Harmony), passivity (Boundaries -) as well. This range also
relates to the BIS-BAS model of Gray, as toward the end of (Boundaries +) behaviour
activation, while toward the end of (Boundaries -) behaviour inhibition takes place.

Between (Boundaries +) and (Harmony), there are two more basic motivation families: to
seek information from the environment - like novelty seeking, curiosity, discovery etc. -
called (Perception +), and to change the environment - like control, power, success etc. -
called (Reaction +). Between (Boundaries -) and (Harmony), the two other motivation
families: to seek internal information - like intuition, rest, fantasy etc. - called (Perception -
), and to change the individual - like thinking, reflexion, development etc. - called
(Reaction -). These basic motives are related to the four cognitive functions of Jung:
sensation, feeling, intuition, thinking, respectively.

2. FIGURE – C ATALYSIS T HEORY OF M OTIVATION - LINE

5 MASLOW'S MISTAKES. A new theory of motivation.

Katalin Tamas, katalintamas@yahoo.com
 I defined motives as energetic principles that integrate biological, social and psychic
processes of the individual into a unified system which consciously or unconsciously shapes
inward (attention, perception, intuition) and outward (emotions, thinking, behaviour)
information. The seven basic motives, their definition and more motives in those seven
families are as follows.

B O UN D AR I E S –
DISSOLVING INTO A BIG GER UNITY
release, closing, union, similarity, surrender, adaptation, trust, acceptance, committance,
merger, openness, spirituality, wholeness, etc...

PERCEPTION –
SEEKING INFORMATION O F THE INNER WORLD

intuition, peace, rest, creativity, attention, wisdom, fantasy, imagination, quietness,

tranquility, integration, stability, patience, continuity, etc...

R E A CT I O N –
CHANGING THE INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
thinking, planning, self-reflexion, abstinence, listening, providence, understanding,
seriousness, perspective taking, learning, choice, etc...

H AR MO N Y AN D C O N N E CT I O N
COLLABORATING BETWEEN DIFFERENT QUALITIES
harmony, intimacy, cooperation, communication, reciprocity, equality, balance,
authenticity, presence, candidness, flexibility, etc...

R E A CT I O N +
CHANGING THE ENVIRONMENT
action, swiftness, achievement, creation, self-expression, power, execution, effectiveness,
control, ownership, consistency, performance, alteration, etc...

PERCEPTION +
SEEKING INFORMATION FROM THE ENVIRONMENT
discovery, novelty, humor, pleasure, mobility, playfulness, sensuality, sexuality, variety,
passion, etc...

B O UN D AR I E S +
ASSURING A SEPARATE EXISTENCE
retention, life, health, difference, autonomy, air, food, drink, roof, integrity, uniqueness,
safety, independence, space, etc...

6 MASLOW'S MISTAKES. A new theory of motivation.

Katalin Tamas, katalintamas@yahoo.com
 C ONNECTIONS AND P ROCESSES
The seven motives of Boundaries +, Perception +, Reaction +, Harmony, Reaction -,
Perception -, and Boundaries - can be arranged in a row, like I did it in figure 2.

At the same time, it is also possible to show the connection among these motives using a
circle, see Figure 3.

3. FIGURE – C ATALYSIS T HEORY OF M OTIVATION - C IRCLE

The Catalysis model draws not only structural but also process-like consequences.
Opposite motives creates the dynamics of this system: + qualities at the bottom of the
model (Boundaries +, Perception +, Reaction +) are conflicting and complementary forces
with the motives above (Reaction -, Perception -, and Boundaries -), which represent basic
biological and psychological motives, respectively.

The seven motives become specific goals in a self-similar, scale-free way, while an
intimate connection forms between the continually changing and at the same time stable
personality, and the outer environment.

I am in the process of developing this model, including measures, research, applications

and more. If you have any ideas, thoughts, questions, please feel free to connect me. You
can find more details about the model at http://katalizis.hu/catalysis/.

7 MASLOW'S MISTAKES. A new theory of motivation.

Katalin Tamas, katalintamas@yahoo.com
 S OURCES

Denning, S. (2012). What Maslow Missed. Forbes/Leadership, 29 March. Retrieved 01

March 2020. from https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2012/03/29/what-
maslow-missed.

Goebel, B. L., & Brown, D. R. (1981). Age differences in motivation related to Maslow’s
need hierarchy. Developmental Psychology, 17, 809–815. doi: 10.1037/0012-
1649.17.6.809

Hofstede, G. (1984). The cultural relativity of the quality of life concept. Academy of
Management Review, 9(3), 389–398. Retrieved 01 March 2020. from
http://www.nyegaards.com/yansafiles/Geert%20Hofstede%20cultural%20attitudes

Kenrick, D. (2010). Rebuilding Maslow’s pyramid on an evolutionary foundation.

Psychology Today. Retrieved 01 March 2020. from
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sex-murder-and-the-meaning-
life/201005/rebuilding-maslow-s-pyramid-evolutionary-foundation

Rama, S., Ballentinte, R., Ajaya, S. (1976). Yoga and Psychotherapy: the evolution of
consciousness. The Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy,
Honesdale, PA.

Routledge, P. (2011). Social Networks: What Maslow Misses. Psychology Today. Accessed
on March 01, 2020 from https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/positively-
media/201111/social-networks-what-maslow-misses-0

Tay, L., & Diener, E. (2011). Needs and subjective well-being around the world. Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 101(2), 354-356.

Wahba, M. A., & Bridwell, L. G. (1976). Maslow reconsidered: A review of research on the
need hierarchy theory. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 15(2), 212–240.
doi: 10.1016/0030-5073(76)90038-6

8 MASLOW'S MISTAKES. A new theory of motivation.

Katalin Tamas, katalintamas@yahoo.com