Warmth : One of the Basic Needs for Human Survival (Maslow's Hierarcy Needs)

It was happened in 2015. When I was sitting on my colleague's office, we were talking about our schools, teachers and students. And suddenly three young students of Elementary School came into her office, they hug her tenderly. My colleague was Headmaster of Kindergarten School, and I was a Headmaster of Junior High School. We were working at the same Foundation. It was surprising me when I saw them hugging so close each other and I felt my heart was warming. My colleague told me that it happened every morning, before those students go to their school, which that school building just close by to our schools, they always come to her office first and hug her.

I'm wondering why they do that?

She said that all those students were her students in Kindergarten. Those kids told their parents that they didn't want to continue their school to Elementary School far from her. They said they will be missed her hugs.

As we learnt about the basic needs of human to survive, Maslow's Hierarchy Needs representative to explained it clearly. Maslow (1943) was comprising a five-tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid.

MASLOW'S HIERARCY OF NEEDS

simplypsychology.org 

Maslow (1943, 1954) stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs and that some needs take precedence over others.

Our most basic need is for physical survival, and this will be the first thing that motivates our behavior. Once that level is fulfilled the next level up is what motivates us, and so on.

1. Physiological needs - these are biological requirements for human survival, e.g. air, food, drink, shelter, clothing, warmth, sex, sleep.

If these needs are not satisfied the human body cannot function optimally. Maslow considered physiological needs the most important as all the other needs become secondary until these needs are met.

2. Safety needs - Once an individual’s physiological needs are satisfied, the needs for security and safety become salient. People want to experience order, predictability and control in their lives. These needs can be fulfilled by the family and society (e.g. police, schools, business and medical care).

For example, emotional security, financial security (e.g. employment, social welfare), law and order, freedom from fear, social stability, property, health and wellbeing (e.g. safety against accidents and injury).

3. Love and belongingness needs - after physiological and safety needs have been fulfilled, the third level of human needs is social and involves feelings of belongingness. The need for interpersonal relationships motivates behavior

Examples include friendship, intimacy, trust, and acceptance, receiving and giving affection and love. Affiliating, being part of a group (family, friends, work).

4. Esteem needs are the fourth level in Maslow’s hierarchy - which Maslow classified into two categories: (i) esteem for oneself (dignity, achievement, mastery, independence) and (ii) the desire for reputation or respect from others (e.g., status, prestige).

Maslow indicated that the need for respect or reputation is most important for children and adolescents and precedes real self-esteem or dignity.

5. Self-actualization needs are the highest level in Maslow's hierarchy, and refer to the realization of a person's potential, self-fulfillment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences. Maslow (1943) describes this level as the desire to accomplish everything that one can, to become the most that one can be. 

"Teaching is The Work of Heart"