Maslow's hierarchy of needs is conceptualised as a pyramid that arranges various human needs in an ascending hierarchical order. The basic idea is that lower level needs must be satisfied before higher needs become the focus of an individual's attention and effort.

At the bottom of the hierarchy are physiological needs or biological needs which are basic to survival, such as hunger and thirst. These needs dominate as long as they remain unsatisfied. For example, a person struggling for food will focus primarily on meeting this basic need before anything else.

Once physiological needs are adequately met, safety needs arise, which refer to the need to be free from threatened danger of both physical and psychological nature. After safety needs are fulfilled, individuals strive for love and belongingness needs — the need to seek out other people, to love and be loved.

Following this, individuals work towards esteem needs, which involve developing a sense of self-worth. At the top of the hierarchy is self-actualisation, reflecting an individual's motive towards the fullest development of potential. A self-actualised person is self-aware, socially responsive, creative, spontaneous, open to novelty and challenge, with a sense of humour and capacity for deep interpersonal relationships.

However, very few people reach the highest level because most people are concerned more with the lower level needs. Sometimes, actual actions contradict the hierarchy, as seen in soldiers, police officers, and fire personnel who protect others despite facing endangering situations.