About the lecture

Trigger warning // School shootings (5:25-6:40)

In this lecture, we think about the theories of Abraham Maslow, focusing in particular on: (i) understanding what the hierarchy of needs is, defined as a tool to explain why our actions serve to satisfy our needs and desires with differing levels of importance; (ii) deficiency needs and their characteristics of serving to limit the ability to achieve growth when they remain unsatisfied, as well as the ability to objectively satisfy them; (iii) the dire consequences of unmet deficiency needs, contextualised in the phenomenon of school shootings; (iv) the nature of growth needs to grow when ‘fed’, such as the example of learning; (v) some evidence which exists in support of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

About the lecturer

Dr Cathal O’Siochru is a senior lecturer in education studies at Liverpool Hope University and has a background in psychology, research methods and education. Dr O’Siochru’s research interests include the psychology of education, epistemological and pedagogical beliefs, and assessment practices. Some of Dr O’Siochru’s recent publications include 'Action learning: how can it contribute to a collaborative process of pedagogical action research?' (2020) and 'Academic perspectives of metrics: Procedural justice as a key factor in evaluations of fairness' (2019).