Maslow's Hierarchy is a model of human motivation developed by American psychologist Abraham Maslow in 1943. It establishes five needs in a hierarchy of importance, with physiological needs (such as food, water, and sleep) at the base and self-actualization (the realization and fulfillment of one's potential) at the apex. Maslow believed that individuals will strive for the highest level first, but until a lower level need is met, the individual will be unable to satisfy the higher need. Thus, Maslow's Hierarchy posits that basic needs must be satisfied before an individual can reach their full potential.

See also: emergence, evolutionary psychology, hierarchical complexity, free will