06/09/2024
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs describes the different needs humans have into five levels. The needs are: Physiological, Safety, Love and Belongingness, Esteem, and Self-Actualization. Each level is organized as a pyramid, but the order of the human needs can switch from person to person.
Physiological Needs: Needs described in this level are basic and are required for human survival, such as food, water, shelter, and sleep. When looking at this from a technology point-of-view, access to basic digital resources like the internet, electricity, and devices can be included, especially in today’s world. Having a smartphone provides access to services that can be used to help obtain shelter and food, but even computers these days connect people together in order to find proper shelter and pay bills in accordance with water or electricity as they are needed to survive (I.E. Heat).
Safety Needs: Safety needs include both physical and psychological health, but also allows for people to experience order and control within their life. As technology expands, there are many things to help connect others to form the safety needs that are wanted. Financial security is major within the world and we have access on our phones and computers to bank information and even stock trading platforms now that could help to increase home income. In other aspects, if people want to make sure they are safe within the digital world, two-factor authentication and password managers allow for users to be in control of their information and how to secure it safely.
Love/Belonging: Love and belongingness needs refer to a human emotional need for connectedness or having relationships. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram build these connections with friends and family. Many platforms have been developed to increase human interaction and has gone to the point that e-dating has become prevalent within the world to potentially connect two persons intimately. The vast connection the digital world has allows for many to get their Love and Belongingness needs as there are many outlets for users to try, whether it be for friends, colleagues, or romantic relationships.
Esteem Needs: Esteem needs include the feeling of self-worth, accomplishment, and respect. Maslow divided these needs into two sections for oneself and respect from others. Many sites allow for a user to display themselves or provide content for the world to view. This allows for many to provide validation to someone and can see what accolades they possess. LinkedIn for instance allows for many to see how their career expanded from day one and many coworkers can take a moment to provide a review on said person’s character and work ethic. The validation of that person is important in order for them to achieve their esteem needs.
Self-Actualization: Self-actualization represents the “achieving” of one’s potential. The internet is a great resource for information and research as it is open to everyone around the world. This could help many to achieve their full potential by learning from the vast content and following what their passion wants. YouTube provides many videos for users to learn and there are many sites that provide learning opportunities to gain certificates and follow career paths that could help them in the real world. Following these ideas and learning from potential subject matter experts, one could fully unlock their potential.
Technology and the digital world relates heavily to all levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The connection between users all around the world allows for many of the needs to be achieved. With the ever changing database and vast logs of information that can be found. Many can continue to connect to each other and receive the emotional needs that humans require.
References
Mcleod, S. (2024, January 24). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Simply Psychology – Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html
Pressley, A. (2023, March 21). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in the Digital age. Intelligent Data Centres. https://www.intelligentdatacentres.com/2023/03/21/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-in-the-digital-age/