MASLOWS

This paper is an attempt to compare and contrast Maslow's hierarchy of needs with Alderfer
ERG theory. At a fundamental level, both of these theories fall under the umbrella of content
theory of human motivation, with the basic assumptions that all people and situations are
alike and that there is only best way to motivate people. Both these theories use a need
hierarchy and propagate a satisfaction progression principle; however, the ERG theory also
includes frustration, regression and satisfaction strengthening principle, as well.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Even after more than six decades, Maslow's hierarchy of needs and his theories remain as the
most cited and discussed need motivation theories. Realizing that people are motivated by
their needs, Maslow classified those needs into five levels of psychological, safety,
belongingness/social, esteem and self actualization needs. According to Maslow, all people
are motivated by one of these needs, and when a need is satisfied, the individual progresses to
the next level and would subsequently feel motivated by the fulfilment of the new need level.
Psychological/biological needs consist of the basic needs of life such as sleep, food, air,
clothing, shelter, homeostasis, sex and others. When an individual is motivated by the
deprivation of these needs, he or she is most likely to show signs of physical distraught.
Deficiency of the next three need levels (safety needs, social needs and esteem needs) is less
likely to leave physical signs, but their deficiency is likely to cause anxiety, stress, tension
and depression (Miner, 2010).
ERG Theory
The basic idea was to revamp and reformulate the Maslow's hierarchy theory so that it could
better incorporate the latest research findings. Therefore, both these theories have striking
similarities, but they diverge from each other at several points as well.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Alderfer’s ERG theories have several similarities and
differences. Some of the similarities include;
1. Both the theories were formulated to explain human motivation in influencing

behaviour
2. Both theories have needs arranged in certain hierarchy, lower needs at the bottom and
higher needs at the top
Some of the differences include;
1. In Maslow’s theory, needs have been classified and arranged into five levels whereas
in ERG needs have been classified and arranged into three levels
2. In Maslow’s theory, needs are satisfied one at a time in a progression manner from
lower to higher needs whereas in ERG several needs can be satisfied at one time
despite of their level
3. Whereas the ERG theory asserts that the order of the needs is different for different
people, according to Maslow, the order of the needs is universal
4. In the ERG model, frustration-regression is allowed whereby one can regress to lower
level needs that may be easier to achieve if they are unsuccessful in attaining higher
level goals. There is no such provision in Maslow’s theory since the needs are only
achieved in a bottom to up trend.
Abraham Maslow posited that there are five stages of need: physiological, safety, social, self-
esteem, and self-actualization. He stated that each need had to be met before people could
progress to the level. Later, he added a sixth need, self-transcendance, which refers to the
need to give to others.
Clayton Alderfer, a psychologist, amended Maslow's hierarchy of needs to produce ERG

Theory, which refers to existence, relatedness, and growth. In Alderfer's hierarchy, there are
only three levels instead of five. He posited that people can be trying to meet needs on more
than one level at one time and that they can move from one level back and forth to another
more fluidly than in Maslow's hierarchy of needs. If one's needs are not met at one level, they
can regress to a lower level to have their needs met. This is the frustration-regression
principle and can be applied to organizational analysis to think about why employees whose
needs for growth are not met may decide to spend more time socializing to have their needs
for relatedness met. In addition, Alderfer stated that people's needs can change at different
times of their lives, so that they are not static.
ERG, (existence needs, relationship needs, growth needs) is another way to look at a person’s
psychological/sociological drives, a companion rather than a competitor to the more
universally known five-step Maslow’s hierarchy of needs—physiological needs, security
needs, social needs, esteem needs, self-actualization needs. The similarities are that they both
rise up from primitive survival drives to abstract, mental/sociological needs, and that they are
met and satisfied in a certain order. Alderfer’s division, an extension of Maslow’s original
work, concerns itself primarily with motivation in the workplace—the value of rewards other
than simple wages, the importance of titles, etc. In both cases, the applied psychology begins
to address what is meant by “human nature,” the universal needs of persons in all societies.
Abraham Maslow
Examples of this need include shelter or housing, physical ability to defend one’s self, the
need to have limits or law (or a conscience), and a regular routine that an individual is
comfortable with. Once one’s physiological needs have been met, s/he will move on to the
safetyneeds.
Higher-Order Needs: Social Needs include friendship and companionship. One must know
that he/she is not alone in the world and be able to communicate feelings and needs with
other individuals, esteem Needs - An individual eventually needs to feel that he/she has a
social status. This goes beyond just having social relationships; the individual must feel that
in work or at home he/she is making a contribution. This also includes recognition of
achievement from others, self-actualization Needs - This is the final and highest level 1
needs. Meeting this need is characterized by continuously focusing on personal growth,
problem solving, life appreciation, and peak experiences for oneself. (Huitt, 2004)
Maslow’s concept of self-actualization (SA) represents “everything that one is capable of
becoming.” (Value Based Management.net, 2009) And he felt that the capacity for this
concept was innate to all human beings. It was not learned through conditioning or earned
through rewards. (Hall, 2007) When observing SA, it is important to note that the category
does not complete Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Many researchers thought that
In conclusion needs-based motivation theories are based on the understanding that motivation
stems from an individual's desire to fulfil or achieve a need. Human beings are motivated by
unsatisfied needs, and certain lower needs must be satisfied before higher needs can be
satisfied.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bellott, F. K., & Tutor, F. D. (1990). "A Challenge to the Conventional Wisdom of Herzberg
and Maslow Theories." Paper presented at the Nineteenth Annual Meeting of the Mid-South
Educational Research Association. New Orleans, LA.
Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B. B. (1959). The Motivation to Work (2nd ed.).
New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Maslow, A. H. (1970). Motivation and Personality (2nd ed.). New York: Harper and Row.
Tutor, F. D. (1986). The Relationship between Perceived Need Deficiencies and Factors
Influencing Teacher Participation in the Tennessee Career Ladder. Doctoral dissertation,
Memphis State University, Memphis, TN.

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This paper is an attempt to compare and contrast Maslow's hierarchy of needs with Alderfer

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

1. Both the theories were formulated to explain human motivation in influencing

Clayton Alderfer, a psychologist, amended Maslow's hierarchy of needs to produce ERG

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