Episode
428. The truth about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
- Podcast
- The Psychology of your 20s
- Published
- Jun 13, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1412
- Processing state
not_requested
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Summary
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is one of the most famous theories in psychology. We've all seen the pyramid. We've all been told that before we can become our best selves, we need to climb through five levels of human needs, from food and safety all the way to self-actualisation. But what if that's not actually what Maslow believed? In this bonus episode, as part of our series myth-busting psychology, we're uncovering the surprising truth behind one of psychology's most iconic ideas, including: Why Maslow never actually drew a pyramid The forgotten sixth level of the hierarchy The Indigenous Blackfoot origins of the theory Whether self-actualisation is really the highest human goal Why the hierarchy isn't as rigid as we've been taught What modern psychology says about the evidence behind Maslow's ideas Happy listening! Watch on Netflix: HERE Follow Jemma on Instagram: @ jemmasbeg Follow the podcast on Instagram: @ thatpsychologypodcast Subscribe on Substack: @ thepsychologyofyour20s For business: [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.