Final answer:
Safety needs in Maslow's hierarchy refer to the need for security and protection, which is the second level above physiological needs. This includes personal, financial, health, and well-being security, and must be met before higher-level needs can be addressed.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, safety needs refer to the second level, which encompasses the need for security and protection. This tier follows the physiological needs at the base of the pyramid and is a critical foundation supporting the fulfillment of subsequent needs. According to Abraham Maslow, after our basic physiological needs such as food, water, and sleep are met, our attention turns to ensuring our personal safety and security. These safety needs include personal security, financial security, health and well-being, and safety against accidents or illness. Once safety needs are satisfied, individuals can pursue the next levels in the hierarchy: love and belonging, esteem, and ultimately, self-actualization.
Understanding Maslow's hierarchy is crucial for recognizing that motivation stems from meeting a series of needs that range from basic survival to more complex psychological and self-fulfillment needs. Maslow posited that people are motivated to achieve certain needs and that some needs take precedence over others. Our most basic need is for physical survival, and this will be the first thing that motivates our behavior. Once that level is fulfilled, the next level up is what motivates us, and so on.