Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - Neat, Plausible and Wrong

This is the first episode of a short video series called of Neat, Plausible and Wrong. We're starting with a big one for business psychology; Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. In it, Dr. Miriam and I talk about this hugely influential theory of motivation.

By the end of the episode, you'll have an idea of where the hierarchy still makes sense, and some other, more neurodiversity-friendly models of motivation you can use instead.

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On Neat, Plausible and Wrong, we look at business psychology through the lens of neurodiversity. We’ve found that many of the ideas we rely on at work often fail in the messy real world. In each episode we take a popular theory or concept you’ve probably heard mentioned at work, and see how true it really is.

Dr Miriam Mavia-Zając is a Consultant Chartered psychologist, executive coach, and published author; working at the intersection of neurodivergence, identity, and emotional truth. She helps neurodivergent individuals reclaim their brilliance without burning out and partners with organisations to challenge systems that misread difference as dysfunction. Her work spans therapy, coaching, consultation, and thought leadership, grounded in psychological depth, cultural clarity, and systemic honesty.
Learn more about her at www.neurodiverseyou.com

Matthew Bellringer is a neurodiversity and innovation specialist, working with individuals and organisations to benefit from the value of their unconventional perspectives. Matthew provides one-to-one support for business owners and professionals, training and consultancy to organisations, and supports the development of services aimed at a neurodiverse audience.
You can find out more about Matthew and their work at https://www.matthewbellringer.com

“Explanations exist; they have existed for all time; there is always a well-known solution to every human problem—neat, plausible, and wrong.” - H.L. Mencken