Final answer:
Bill is attempting to meet the need for belongingness as per Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs by joining a fraternity and seeking social integration and emotional relationships. The correct option is B.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Maslow, Bill may be attempting to meet the need of belongingness.
Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a motivational theory in psychology, which suggests that five levels of human needs dictate an individual's behavior. These needs are arranged in a hierarchy, where one must satisfy lower-level basic needs before progressing on to meet higher-level growth needs. At the bottom of Maslow's pyramid are physiological needs, like food and shelter, followed by safety needs. Once these basic needs are fulfilled, individuals can then fulfill higher-level psychosocial needs, which include belongingness and love needs — the third level of the pyramid. These involve emotional relationships, like friendships, social groups, and romantic attachments.
As Bill has felt isolated and like an outsider, his decision to join a fraternity represents an attempt to satisfy his need for social belonging. This need encompasses partnership, acceptance within one's social groups, and the ability to form meaningful connections with others. By joining a group that aligns with his interests or goals, Bill is pursuing a sense of community and social integration, which are vital components of the belongingness need.
Maslow believed that these needs must be addressed before individuals can achieve a higher level of self-esteem and, ultimately, self-actualization — where they fulfill their potential. In the context of college life, fraternities can offer a platform for students like Bill to establish bonds of brotherhood and, through shared experiences, meet their belongingness needs. This drive for social connection is a fundamental aspect of human motivation, as supported by Baumeister and Leary (1995) in their work on the need to belong.