Needs To Know

Ken Fields — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:50:24 +0000

Our developmental needs can be expressed in broad-based and comprehensive terms, as depicted in the one word labels in the table below. Each word-label can be extensively elaborated upon but, for the sake of general discussion, these one word labels can suffice. They are more like over-arching themes for each psyche-socio stage of development. And, they overlap. It’s not that in late adulthood we no longer need identity, or exploration….but, the need for knowledge, both self knowledge, and knowledge of our larger environment, is more dominant. Here, knowledge refers much more to the synthesis of life experience rather than mere fact gathering.

This collection of needs, chronologically unfolding and age-based, is referred to as “the heirarchy of needs.”

Certainly, the need for sustenance is prevalent throughout the entire range of needs, as is the need for safety, but when consistently satisfied, other needs arise. Also, sustenance and safety are not limited to purely physical concerns; there are needs for psyche sustenance and psyche safety, as well as socio sustenance and socio safety.

Although this collection of 7 Needs is considered heirarchical, it is also interwoven. Even the lower level needs such as control and esteem are influenced by the higher level needs, such as the need for knowledge and beauty.

When higher needs are not satisfied, there is psyche-logical malaise in much the same way physical deterioration is the result of neglect. Malaise is like a slow psyche-logical starvation.

It’s helpful to recognize our higher level psyche-socio developmental needs. It can add to one’s sense of direction, meaning and purpose.

…

Stage	Age	Stages of Psyche-Socio Development	Spheres of Influence	Developmental Needs
7	76-90+	Late Adulthood	World	Beauty
6	41-75	Middle Adulthood	Nation	Knowledge
5	21-40	Early Adulthood	State	Belonging
4	13-20	Adolescence	City	Esteem
3	8-12	Later Childhood	Community	Control
2	3-7	Early Childhood	Neighborhood	Safety
1	0-2	Infant	Home	Sustenance

…

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Needs To Know