Self-Actualization: maslow’s hierarchy of needs | UX design

The things we use and consume may satisfy the first four levels of needs in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, but they will never provide us with the characteristics, outlined below, which help us identify the attainment of self-actualization. Take all the safety, love, etc. you like; for all their importance, they don’t complete the jigsaw that makes up a person — or rather, the pyramid that constitutes the needs within. For this reason, we as designers must focus on how we can support our users in their activities — it’s the only way to meet them on this, the apex of needs.

In Motivation and Personality (1954), Abraham Maslow states, “What a man can be, he must be”. Maslow’s quote refers to self-actualization, which is the highest level or stage in his model of human motivation: the ‘Hierarchy of Needs’. According to the hierarchy of needs, self-actualization represents the highest-order motivations, which drive us to realize our true potential and achieve our ‘ideal self’.

Self-actualization needs are also referred to as our ‘being’ needs; these include personal and creative self-growth, which are achieved through the fulfilment of our full potential.

Self-actualization is the final stage in the linear growth of an individual. Maslow believed that in order to achieve this state of personal fulfilment, the person must first satisfy the preceding needs (i.e. physiological, safety, love/belonging, and esteem, in that order).

Characteristics Common in Self-Actualized Individuals

Acceptance and realism: Self-actualization reflects the individual’s acceptance of who he/she is, what he/she is capable of, and his/her realistic and accurate perception of the world around him or her (including the people within it and how they relate to the individual).

Problem-centering: Self-actualized individuals are not purely focused on internal gain; they appreciate the benefits of solving problems that affect others so as to improve the external world. The desire to assist others is borne out of an internal sense of right and wrong, which is grounded in empathy.

Spontaneity: The self-actualized individual thinks and acts spontaneously, as a result of having an accurate self- and world-view. In spite of this spontaneity, these individuals tend to act and think within the accepted social norms and according to the expectations of others.

Autonomy and Solitude: While the self-actualized among us conform to societal norms and are often people-centered in their problem-solving, they often display the need for personal freedom and privacy.These private times are spent testing their potential, both mentally and physically.

Continued Freshness of Appreciation: No matter how simple, straightforward or familiar an experience, the self-actualized individual is capable of seeing things from new perspectives and appreciating the breadth and wonder of things in his/her world.

Peak Experiences: These peak experiences are thought to produce invigorating feelings such as inspiration, physical and mental vitality, and a renewed sense of perspective.

Self-Actualization & Design

This layer of human motivation represents the toughest nut to crack for designers. It would be fair to say no one product can provide us with an experience or series of experiences which allow us to achieve self-actualization. However, they can facilitate the realization of our true potential. The better products are, the better we can be. Conversely, if the products we are using are inefficient or ineffective, we are obstructed in our efforts to improve and reach our pinnacle.