The Importance Of Love And Social Needs In School

According to Maslow (1954), once individuals have substantially satisfied their basic or biological needs, the safety or security needs emerge to direct behavior. These needs include the need for protection from danger or deprivation, the need for freedom from pain or from the threat of physical attack, the need for savings, medical aid, and even for armed response (Amos, et al., 2008, Mullins, 2005, Steyn, 2002).

In the work-place such as a school, the safety needs are reflected not only in the desire for financial security, but also in fair treatment by the principals, safe working conditions, first-rate fringe benefits, fairness, quality supervision, and job security (Amos, et al., 2008).

2.2.2.3 Love or Social Needs

Love or social needs include the need for giving and receiving love, the need of affection, a sense of belonging, social activities, and friendships (Mullins, 2005). In the school setting, these are manifested in the teachers’ need for belonging and affiliation, and include professional friendships, good interpersonal relations with colleagues, students and principals, acceptance by others, and affable supervision by the principals. If teachers experience a sense of belonging at their schools, then this will result in fulfilling their social needs (Boey, 2010). When the teachers participate in the school’s activities, and are involved in the decision-making processes, this creates a sense of belonging. Then communication between and among teachers, the