Linking individual differences in satisfaction with each of Maslow's needs to the Big Five personality traits and Panksepp's primary emotional systems.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is one of the most impactful theories in motivation psychology and personality science. Therefore, it is surprising that studies linking individual differences in a person's current satisfaction with each of Maslow's needs to the traits are rare. In the present study of 850 participants, associations between the and the personality traits were examined for the first time. In addition, the administration of the provided an evolutionary framework for the present research. Individual differences in the were assessed, but participants were also asked about the current importance of each of Maslow's needs in their lives. This latter approach to viewing Maslow's needs (general rated importance of each need in the life of a person) showed strong deviations from Maslow's proposed order in the classic pyramid depicting the hierarchy of needs.