3 Types of Needs

McClelland states that there are 3 different types of need. The first one is the need for achievement. This involves a very strong desire to excel in careers, hobbies, education, and the quality for production, doing it right the first time. They like to have feedback on their performance. They don’t care about wealth or money they just want the challenge. If Jamie is failing her math class she will do everything she can to improve her grade so she can pass so that she can achieve success.

The second need is affiliation. This may involve having lots of friends, belonging to a lot of clubs, or going out frequently. They are very social beings and like to be popular with others, and be held in high regard by others. Sophie likes to go dancing, chatting on Facebook, and belongs to many community clubs.

The third type is the need for power. This involves wanting to have influence over other people and having an impact on them. Status and prestige is very important to them and are perceived by them as making them powerful. Don is a politician and he likes to influence other people by having all of his ideas utilized. He lives in a mansion, and has lots of money and owns many materialistic things. Money and prestige are very important to him.

I consider that I fall in the category of achievement. The one thought about Maslow’s theory that one needs to keep in mind is that even though a person is high in the pyramid that can change at any time through life situations and a person could find themselves on step one again at anytime.