Question

In Maslow's hierarchy, the human need to help others falls into the _______________ category of needs.

1) Physiological
2) Safety
3) Belongingness and love
4) Esteem
5) Self-actualization

Answer 1

The human need to help others falls into the self-actualization category of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which is about realizing one's fullest potential, often including altruistic behavior.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the human need to help others most closely aligns with the self-actualization category of needs. Self-actualization is the highest level on Maslow's pyramid and it represents achieving one's full potential, which often includes altruistic activities and a focus on broader problems outside one's personal concerns. It reflects the humanistic emphasis on positive aspects of human nature. Maslow himself suggested that self-actualization is an ongoing, life-long process and only a small percentage of people achieve this state.

Beyond self-actualization, Maslow later introduced the concept of self-transcendence, which encompasses a level of striving for meaning and purpose beyond the self, involving motives such as altruism and the desire to help others.