What the report covers

The report starts with the logic behind the theory, not the pyramid. Maslow assumed four things: a satisfied need stops motivating, human needs form a complex system, lower needs come first, and higher needs have more ways to be met.

From there it walks through all five levels with plain examples. A hungry person is not helped by a warm coat. Safety means protection from physical and emotional harm.

The closing section shows how a manager can read an employee's current level and pick a motivator that fits it.

The five levels in an American workplace

Students in US organizational behavior courses are often asked to apply the model to a real employer. Here is how each level lines up with programs Americans actually deal with.

• Physiological: a paycheck that covers rent and food, plus rest breaks and reasonable hours.
• Safety: employer health coverage, OSHA workplace safety rules, and job-protected leave. Under the Family and Medical Leave Act, eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave a year.
• Belonging: stable teams, mentoring, and employee resource groups.
• Esteem: fair performance reviews, promotions, and public recognition.
• Self-actualization: stretch projects and education. Under Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code, an employer can pay up to $5,250 a year of an employee's education costs tax-free.

A useful exercise: pick a company you know and ask which level its benefits package mostly serves. Most packages are heavy on safety and light on the top two levels.

What later research found

Maslow published the theory in 1943 in Psychological Review. He never drew it as a pyramid. A 2019 study in Academy of Management Learning & Education traced the triangle to a 1960 business magazine article by consultant Charles McDermid.

Wahba and Bridwell's 1976 review found little evidence for a strict, fixed order of needs. Tay and Diener (2011) used Gallup World Poll data from 123 countries and found that the needs themselves are fairly universal, but people can draw well-being from social and respect needs even when basic needs are not fully met.

That gives you a strong discussion point: treat the levels as a checklist of needs, not a ladder people must climb in order.

How to use it in your own paper

• Pair it with Herzberg's two-factor theory or Alderfer's ERG model for a comparison section.
• Cite the 1943 article directly in APA 7 rather than a textbook summary.
• Use one real employer case, not a general list, to show the levels.

For more everyday examples, see our guide to Maslow's hierarchy at work, in marketing, and in daily life and the separate piece on criticism of the hierarchy.

File details

3 pages, HWP format, written in Korean. The structure (assumptions, five levels, application, limits) is easy to follow with a translation tool, and the English notes above cover the US context.

FAQ

Did Maslow create the pyramid diagram?

No. His 1943 paper has no pyramid. The shape came from later management writers.

Is the hierarchy still taught in US business schools?

Yes, as a starting point. Most courses now present it next to its critiques and newer models such as self-determination theory.

Which level do health benefits belong to?

Safety. They protect against the risk of losing the ability to meet basic needs.

References

1. Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396.
2. Wahba, M. A., & Bridwell, L. G. (1976). Maslow reconsidered. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 15(2), 212–240.
3. Tay, L., & Diener, E. (2011). Needs and subjective well-being around the world. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(2), 354–365. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0023779
4. Bridgman, T., Cummings, S., & Ballard, J. (2019). Who built Maslow's pyramid? Academy of Management Learning & Education, 18(1), 81–98. https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2017.0351
5. U.S. Department of Labor. Family and Medical Leave Act. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla
6. Internal Revenue Code § 127, Educational assistance programs.

Last updated: November 13, 2026