What Are the Three Basic Needs of Humans?

Three basic needs of humans are drinkable water, nourishing food and adequate sleep, according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The ability to breathe is also necessary for humans. People also need safety, security and shelter. After those basic needs, people need love, friends and connections with others.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs was developed by psychologist Abraham Maslow, who studied factors that motivate people. He discovered that people have basic needs that should be met first in order to survive. Those needs are at the bottom of a pyramid of hierarchy. After that, people seek to meet needs that are higher up on the pyramid. Meeting the needs on the pyramid may be instinctual to some degree, but also can be a conscious effort. At the highest level of the pyramid is self-actualization, which pertains to personal awareness and fulfillment.