Summary of the Theory
Maslow's theory posits that physiological drives are not the starting point of a motivation theory as previously posited. According to the theory, preferential choices or appetites indicate the actual needs of the body. According to the theory, appetite plays a huge role in determining the motivation because when the body lacks a certain chemical, the individual craves the food element and develops partial hunger. The theory also argues against the physiological drive using the notion of homeostasis, which refers to the body's automated efforts to maintain normal states of the blood stream (Maslow, 2012). The components of reference in the above equation include water, salt, fat, calcium, hydrogen ion level, protein, sugar, oxygen, and constant temperature content in the blood. This may also be extended to include hormonal balance and vitamin content in the human blood.
According to the theory, the physiological needs and the consumption behavior of the individual serve as a channel for other needs, since a person who thinks they are hungry may be seeking more for dependence and comfort than for proteins and vitamins. Consequently, they may partially satisfy the hunger smoking cigarettes or drinking water (Maslow, 2012). The theory also posits that a person who lacks love, food, esteem, and safety would hunger for food than for anything else. A person who is extremely hungry may not hunger for anything else as all other needs are pushed into the background and their only desire becomes food. Consequently, the person thinks, dreams, perceives, and remembers only food, forgetting all else.
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Conceptual Critique of the Theorist
The theory fails in its assumptions, as there are three basic needs, which are food clothing, and shelter and each is as important as the other is. Consequently, it is wrong to assume that food is the most important because if a person is left in the cold and suffers from flu because of the cold, they would have no appetite, and their number one drive would be shelter, not food. Albeit food gives the human beings strength to go on, they need to have a proper supply of all the basic needs and the lack of any of the three breeds the same degree of discomfort and desire.
Personal Critique/ Personal Reactions
The assumption by the theory that people eat because they are seeking for dependence and comfort is not true. I do not think that eating a lot of food can make one dependent on the food, as food alone cannot answer all life's questions. At the same time, a person who is uncomfortable with who they are cannot find comfort in material stuff like food. Therefore, one cannot eat with the aim of finding comfort from the food. The only therapy comes from within whereby the person learns to accept themselves and find comfort from within not without. Additionally, I also disagree with the theorist's view that a person who lacks all things such as shelter, food, esteem, and love only thinks about food as all other things are pushed in the background. The above is arguable for if a person is hungry and in the cold, they will think about getting shelter as much as they will think about getting food. If they are also naked, they will think about clothing as well.
Locate the Theories in a Historical Context
In a historical context, this theory suits the very ancient lives whereby people lived in bushes and never dressed as then the only basic need was food. Otherwise, in the modern world, basic needs have the same importance to human beings.
Reference
Maslow, A. (2012). A Theory of Motivation . Wilder Publications
