According to Wikipedia, Abraham Harold Maslow was an American psychologist who was best known for creating Maslow's hierarchy of needs, a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling innate human needs in priority, culminating in self-actualization.
Clearly, our most basic needs, those at the bottom of the pyramid must be met to our satisfaction before we are concerned for the next level.
For example, I will benefit from the support of friends and loved ones (level 3) as I seek further accomplishments that build my self esteem in the 4th level. But, I cannot begin to focus on making friends or seeking a mate if I am hungry and thirsty or if I haven't slept for two days.
I think you know where this is going.
But first, I want you to note that major changes and stresses in your life can cause you to revert back to a lower level at any time.
For example: There's a world-wide pandemic, and everyone is ordered to stay home. Suddenly everything in your world has changed. Fear is widespread. You wonder - Are you safe from the disease? Are you doing everything to protect yourself and your loved ones? Are you still able to earn an income? Are you going to be able to take care of your family?
If you find you are having an unusually difficult time coping with the changes, it's because you have been bumped back to a lower level on the hierarchy of needs.
Another example: You realize that your husband has gradually become more jealous, controlling, and sometimes his words are downright abusive. Sometimes he blows his stack when things don't go his way. He may even be cheating on you. Everyone wonders why don't you just leave him.
You can't leave because you have gradually been pushed back down into the lower levels of the hierarchy scale. Safety and security are no longer assured. You find it difficult to make decisions or move forward because if you leave, it means you will be back in the lowest level of the pyramid, seeking food and shelter.
As newborn babies we all begin seeking the most basic of needs, and luckily for parents, those basic needs are usually quite easy to fulfill. And, if the baby has a place to sleep and parents to care for him/her, he is safe and secure, too, and ready to begin building relationships with those around him.
But what about the unfortunate baby whose parents are practicing the "Infant Management System" as outlined in Gary Ezzo's "Babywise" book? Does the baby actually believe he is safe and secure? He's so helpless, his very existence depends on others to meet his base-level needs. Will his cries be answered?
Following directions in the book, the parents response to crying is inconsistent. They may, or may not come to the crying baby based on where he is in the schedule. If it's night time or a predetermined nap time, Babywise parents will leave the baby crying alone in his crib to "teach him" how to sleep, ultimately delaying his ability to build close, intimate relationships
