Maslow as a
highly influential person within the school of humanistic psychology categorized human needs in different levels in the form of a hierarchy which should be
fulfilled for stimulating, directing, and sustaining the behavior of the
individuals. The basic level to be attained in the hierarchy contains the
physiological needs (Maslow, as cited in Coon, 2000). Every individual has a
need to stay alive which requires the environment to fulfill the basic
necessities of life to grow physically. For example, food is an essential commodity
that is a source of energy for the human body to function properly, and clean water
is an important element that reduces stomach problems thus improving the health
conditions of individuals.
Physiological Needs: Maslow's Hierarchy
Chapman (2004) included survival needs such as food,
drink, shelter, warmth, sex, and sleep in the category of physiological needs
for motivation which if satisfied, then the student concentrate on their
academic achievements in the classroom. A lack of balance diet, clean water,
shelter, and sleep which Alderfer (as cited in Boree, 2006) called survival
needs increases the chances for the students to suffer from various diseases,
due to which they are unable to concentrate on academic activities or tasks. In an evaluative
study on the impacts of a school nutrition program under the direction of the world
food program, Cueto and Chinen (2007) found that dropout rates in the schools
were significantly reduced.
Two groups of students were compared in different schools; one treatment group in which students benefited from the school program
and another group, in which students did not take nutrition in the program
was named the contrast group. Results showed that the nutrition program helped to
reduce the dropout rates among the poorest and lowest-performing students in
the treatment group than the similar type of students in the contrast group. An
analysis of reading and memory test scores of the students in multiple
grade schools showed the positive impact of the food program on their academic achievements.
The high achievement of the students in the treatment group in performing learning activities
was due to the time spent accomplishing academic tasks after receiving the
food which was a longer period of time in the treatment group than the time
spent by the students in the contrast group. Evaluation of the program
revealed that it significantly impacted the situation in educational
institutions, particularly in rural areas but it needed to monitor the implementation
of the food programs. In research regarding the relationships between students’ sleep and their grade-point
average Kelly, Kelly, and Clanton (2001) found that the students who had a
routine of nine hours of sleep out of twenty-four hours reported higher GPAs than
those who sleep six hours a day.
Physiological Needs: Maslow's Hierarchy
The results supported the overall higher
functioning of long sleepers as compared to short sleepers and the lower GPAs
of the short sleepers pointed to a decreased ability to concentrate on
education-related activities. Wade and Tavris (1996) argued that a student
cannot worry about achievements when she/he is feeling hungry, or cold and
have no access to medicine when sick. Students’ physiological needs such as
food, sleep, water, shelter, and warmth must be fulfilled to maximize their potential
for academic achievements.
References
Boree, C. G. (2006). Abraham Maslow. Personality Theories. Shippensburg University. Retrieved May 13,2009 from http://www.webspace.ship.ed/cgboer/maslow.html
Ceuto, S., & Chinen, M. (2007). The educational impact of a school
breakfast program in rural Peru.
International journal
of educational development. 28, 132-148.
Chapman, A. (2004). Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs motivational
model. Businessballs.
England.Retrieved May 20, 2009, from http://www.businessballs.com/maslow.html
Coon, D. (2000). Essentials of
psychology: Exploration and application (8th ed.). Australia:
Wardsworth.
Kelly, W. E., Kelly, K. E., & Clanton, R. C. (2001). The relationship
between sleep length and grade-
point average among college
students – statistical data included. College
student journal. Find Articles. Com. Retrieved September 20, 2009, from
Wade, C., & Tavris, C. (1996). Psychology (4th ed.). New
York: HarperCollins
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