In his original article on human motivation, Abraham Maslow said “The present theory then must be considered to be a suggested program or framework for future research and must stand or fall, not so much on facts available or evidence presented, as upon researches yet to be done, researches suggested perhaps, by the questions raised in this paper” ([1], p370).
This article endeavours to build on Maslow’s work, incorporating research in the neurobiological impact of childhood trauma which shows that safety is the most fundamental need for all human beings. Indigenous approaches to understanding human needs beyond the ending points of any one individual life and valuing cultural perpetuity are also integrated into this model.
The methodology to synthesize this paper is the result of a transdisciplinary approach that values collaboration between disciplines that focus on the biological, social, and psychological factors that interact with each other in the dynamic dance of life. Communication is added as a core need of human beings, with Interdependent Actualization being seen as the capstone of human development.
Incorporating the biological framework of the extra-cellular matrix with a visual model that shows the relationships between the parts of a whole, the Matrix of Needs restores the dynamic and interrelated nature of human needs in the same hope Maslow had, that this paper will generate ideas, launch discussions and build a framework for future researchers to better understand what it means to be human, and how to remove the barriers which impede our growth as individuals and as members of the human family.
The paragraphs above are similar to the original posting about The Matrix of Needs and are the abstract of the updated Matrix of Needs article to be published by the Scrip journal, Health. It will be published later in May 2021 and can be accessed at https://www.scirp.org/journal/health
HEALTH is an open-access journal, which means it is free to download. Most journals require that people either pay to download or have an affiliation with a university. This journal was chosen because of the scope and purpose of the journal: “HEALTH is an international journal dedicated to the latest advancement in human health. The goal of this journal is to provide a platform for physicians, health researchers, and academics all over the world to promote, share, and discuss various new issues and developments in health-related problems.”
Unlike most journals which focus on a narrow aspect of a specific science, HEALTH solicits manuscripts from a wide range of disciplines. The first five of the more than 90 topics covered are:
Adolescent Health
Aging and Health
Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health
Ambulatory Child Health
Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management
Behavioral Health Services and Research
The interdependency of life discovered as I was writing this paper is lived out in this journal, and I would encourage everyone reading this blog to read this journal on a regular basis. I have read every article published in the last year and learned amazing things I never would have discovered staying inside my own set of disciplines. This is Interdependent Actualization at its best!