Final answer:
The highest-level need in Maslow's hierarchy is self-actualization, which denotes the achievement of one's full potential and is at the peak of the pyramid.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy, the highest-level need represents self-actualization. This is the peak of Maslow's pyramid, where an individual achieves their full potential after all other lower-level needs have been met. These lower-level needs, as Maslow described, include physiological needs, safety, love and belonging, and esteem. It should be noted that Maslow's hierarchy of needs is depicted as a pyramid, with the basic needs at the bottom and the higher-level needs at the top. Moreover, Maslow suggested that the self-actualization level is a continuous and lifelong process, and only a minority of people achieve this state of being. There have been some criticisms of Maslow's theory for its subjective nature and some postulated the possibility of a level of self-transcendence that exists above self-actualization, which involves striving for meaning beyond personal concerns.