Which of the following is a limitation of Maslow's hierarchy of needs model?

• A. It emphasizes the importance of social and environmental factors over individual motivation.
• B. It incorporates the role of unconscious motives in shaping behavior.
• C. It provides a detailed explanation of how physiological needs influence emotional responses.
• D. It assumes that all individuals progress through the hierarchy in the same order regardless of cultural or personal differences.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the core concept of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which is a motivational theory proposing that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to higher-level needs, typically arranged in a fixed order from physiological needs up to self-actualization.
2. Step 2: Recognize that the model emphasizes individual motivation and the sequential satisfaction of needs, rather than prioritizing social or environmental factors over individual drives.
3. Step 3: Note that Maslow's theory does not focus on unconscious motives; instead, it deals with conscious needs and motivations.
4. Step 4: Understand that while physiological needs are foundational, the model does not provide a detailed explanation of how these needs influence emotional responses specifically.
5. Step 5: Identify the key limitation: the model assumes a universal progression through the hierarchy in the same order for all individuals, which overlooks cultural and personal differences that can affect the order or importance of needs.