Which statement is accurate about Maslow's theory?

Which statement is accurate about Maslow's theory?

• A. Maslow studies human needs
• B. Maslow focuses solely on cognitive development
• C. Needs are unimportant
• D. Maslow's theory only applies to adults

Answer: (A)

Maslow's work focuses on what motivates people by examining human needs. He described a hierarchy—physiological needs at the base, followed by safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization—through which individuals strive to fulfill progressively higher goals. That emphasis on needs as the driving force behind behavior is why the statement that Maslow studies human needs is the best description of his theory. The idea that he centers only on cognitive development isn’t accurate, since his theory covers a broad range of human motivations beyond cognition. The view that needs are unimportant contradicts the theory, which places needs at the heart of motivation. And saying the theory applies only to adults ignores its broader claim about universal human needs across the lifespan.

Maslow's work focuses on what motivates people by examining human needs. He described a hierarchy—physiological needs at the base, followed by safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization—through which individuals strive to fulfill progressively higher goals. That emphasis on needs as the driving force behind behavior is why the statement that Maslow studies human needs is the best description of his theory. The idea that he centers only on cognitive development isn’t accurate, since his theory covers a broad range of human motivations beyond cognition. The view that needs are unimportant contradicts the theory, which places needs at the heart of motivation. And saying the theory applies only to adults ignores its broader claim about universal human needs across the lifespan.