Why Feeling Safe Matters More Than Scoring High: Maslow vs. Bloom in Real Human Growth

Schools are meant to be havens of knowledge where wisdom and education are not only disseminated, but also where future leaders are cultivated. Despite being regarded as institutions of education. A school does so much more for the child, focusing on holistic development and even sets them on a path towards self-actualisation. They understand that education is so much more than just learning, reading and speaking. Before a child can ever learn to read or speak, they must learn to trust, feel seen and even feel safe. 

Education goes beyond lesson plans and curricula, as it requires the child to be fully engaged with all forms of growth and development. While cognition flourishes, so do emotional capacities, physical abilities and more. However, at the foundation of these intense processes that are carried out through the first two decades of a child’s life lie a few basic needs that must remain fulfilled. One such basic need is safety and security, which Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs has identified. The following article aims to explore the hierarchy of needs in conjunction with Bloom’s Cognitive Taxonomy to understand human cognitive development. 

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Given by Abraham Maslow in 1943, “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs’ is a motivational theory that posits a five-tier model of human needs (McLeod, 2025). One of the most famous theories of motivation, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, suggests that a variety of human actions and behaviours can be explained by needs experienced by them. These needs range from physical to psychological and progress in a pyramid-like progression from basic to complex.

Read More: The Four Perspectives That Shape Human Motivation

1. Physiological Needs

Basic human needs and biological requirements for human survival are considered to be the first area of motivation for human behaviour. These often consist of food, drink, clothing, shelter, sleep and more. The human body can not function optimally without the satisfaction of these physiological needs. Maslow also suggested that the human need for reproduction also falls under this category and fuels survival (Cherry, 2024).

2. Security and Safety Needs

The second tier of human needs, which motivates behaviour, encompasses the need for safety and security. It consists of the desire to establish a semblance of control over one’s life in multiple aspects, such as financial, health, safety against accidents and injuries and more. This, along with the previously mentioned physiological needs, is considered to be the basic needs an individual requires to survive optimally (McLeod, 2025).

3. Love and Belonging

Having moved on from the physical needs, the next category of needs in the hierarchy includes love, belonging and acceptance. These constitute social needs and eventually drive human behaviours in relationships and other emotions. Friendships, family, social groups, romantic attachments, community, and other such social organisations are a part of this tier. 

Read More: Hierarchy of needs: Human Love and Belongingness explained by Abraham Maslow

4. Self-esteem

The fourth year of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is the need for self-esteem and respect. At this level, it becomes increasingly important for individuals to gain respect and appreciation from others while accomplishing things so that their efforts are recognised. This helps self-esteem and self-worth to develop (Cherry, 2024). These are often also classified into esteem for oneself and the desire for reputation and respect from others.

5. Self-actualisation

As a scholar who subscribed to the humanistic school of psychology, Maslow suggested that the end goal of a human’s life is to become self-actualised, and hence placed that at the top of the pyramid. Self-actualisation is the process of realising one’s full potential by achieving meaningful goals and personal growth. It is usually manifested uniquely in each person; however, not all individuals can achieve it. Maslow also suggested that most individuals only attain self-actualisation for short periods of time in their lives and not consistently. 

Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning

Given originally by Benjamin Bloom, the Bloom taxonomy of learning was published in 1956, with a revision occurring in 2011 (Bloom’s Taxonomy | CITT | University of Florida, n.d.).  This hierarchical categorisation aims to explain the cognitive process of learning and the various levels that encompass the process according to their complexity and richness. As one makes their way up the pyramid, the level of complexity increases. This creates a framework to design an optimal learning experience. The taxonomy consists of three primary domains: 

1. Cognition comprises intellectual processes,
2. Affective, comprising emotional responses and attitudes,
3. Psychomotor comprises physical skills and abilities (Ruhl, 2025)

The cognitive domain, which focuses upon knowledge, comprehension, and intellectual skills, describes the process of perception, understanding, and the ultimate use of information.

The Intensive Process of Learning

According to Bloom’s taxonomy, the intensive process of learning was broken down into the following steps: 

1. Knowledge: Later known as ‘Remember’, the first level of learning consists of the ability to recall facts and basic concepts. 
2. Comprehension: Also known as ‘Understand’,  this level comprises the ability to understand concepts and interpret the meaning from them as well. 
3. Application: Known as ‘Apply’, the third level of learning includes utilising the learned information in a variety of applied and practical concepts. 
4. Analysis: Also referred to as ‘Analyse’, this level consists of the ability to break down pieces of information into smaller parts to infer the relationship between them. 
5. Synthesis: This level of learning refers to the ability to combine knowledge from varied sources to form new ideas or solutions. 
6. Evaluation: The last level of learning refers to the ability to judge information based on a wide variety of criteria and standards.

The 2001 revision, which is currently used, changes the names of the cognitive categories from passive nouns to active verbs and focuses on greater learner engagement and participation. It also swapped the fifth level of synthesis and the sixth level of evaluation. It also introduced the knowledge dimension, which clarified how learners use and process knowledge.

Read More: Why Knowledge is not enough for Success

Why does Safety come first?

Upon understanding Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning, one may begin to wonder why Maslow’s hierarchy would matter more in a learning environment, especially since it focuses on human motivation more than the actual process of learning.  However, learning is not purely a cognitive act. It engages various parts of the brain, which closely relate to exploration, creativity, and curiosity, which in turn, make the process biological, emotional and cognitive. For these varied brain regions to be optimally stimulated, an individual needs to experience safety and security; otherwise, the nervous system of the body redirects the brain’s energy towards survival and not growth.

From a neurobiological perspective, when an individual encounters stressors or is placed in an unsafe environment, the amygdala plays a key role in regulating the human body (Harvard Health, 2024). However, due to the activation of the amygdala, which is also known as the brain’s alarm system, the functioning of the other parts of the brain is repressed. Essentially, when in survival mode, it becomes impossible for the brain to learn.

Read More: Strategies for Creating Positive Learning Environments in the Classroom

Understanding the Theoretical Underpinnings  

Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory suggest the relationship between the autonomic nervous system. And an individual’s physiological responses to the environment (Porges, 2011). The theory describes the impact of the autonomic nerve system upon the regulation of physiological and emotional responses to stress and safety through the vagus nerve. The theory essentially suggests that through the process known as Neuroreception. The body and brain are constantly and unconsciously scanning the environment for cues, which point towards safety or danger. 

These perceptions of the surroundings will eventually trigger different responses in the human body, allowing an individual to either enter a state of fight or flight, freeze or shut down or engage socially. This theory then posits that only upon feeling safe and connected with the environment will an individual be able to enter the social engagement system, which is also known as the Ventral Vagal Complex, which allows for communication and socialisation (Porges, 2022). It is only when an individual feels safe and calm in their environment that they are mental capacities can focus on things other than survival, which allows for higher-order thinking and can even allow learning. 

Read More: Mastering Effective Communication: Building Trust and Strong Relationships

What does this mean?

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs suggested that safety and belonging are our basic requirements, which lead to motivation. However, Bloom’s theory focuses more on the process of learning. These two hierarchies are not opposing frameworks, but in integration can provide a more comprehensive outlook towards human development and learning. By integrating the learnings from both these theories, education, educational institutions can build upon intrinsic motivation and optimal learning strategies.

Instead of building classrooms around curricula, educators can build them on emotional safety and respect. This provides the psychological stability necessary for learning.

Read More: The Psychology Behind Care, Compliance, and Childhood Emotional Needs

Conclusion

Both Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Bloom’s taxonomy focus upon human growth and development. Yet they opt for different pathways towards the same goal. Maslow’s hierarchy may provide the foundation needed for Bloom’s taxonomy to take place by grounding an individual in a safe and secure environment to learn. By gaining insight into the neurobiology. Understanding the theoretical underpinnings of the need for safety for learning to occur. The process of learning can take a more holistic approach. The integration of both these theories provides a framework that helps in the maximisation of human potential and calls for change in all educational institutions.

FAQs

1. Can learning take place without emotional safety? 

While learning can take place without emotional safety, it won’t be effective. Without emotional safety, an individual may not be able to actually grasp information and then use it, which makes the entire process of learning ineffective. 

2. How does Maslow’s Motivational Theory provide a foundation for the Taxonomy of learning? 

Maslow’s motivational theory provides a foundation for Bloom, taxonomy of learning by suggesting that emotional safety and security would precede the levels of learning. From a neurobiological standpoint, an individual needs to feel safe and secure in their environment before the brain regions required for learning can be activated. Hence, Maslow’s motivational theory, which focuses upon safety and security as a basic need, would precede and provide a foundation for learning.

3. How can school teachers integrate safety in the classroom?

Educators and teachers can integrate psychological safety in their classrooms in multiple ways. By adopting empathetic communication, supportive feedback and fostering an environment of trust and mutual respect, teachers can create a safe environment for their children. They can also adopt methods from trauma-informed teaching, which will allow them to create an environment of safety and predictability for children from emotionally unstable households. 

References +

Bloom’s Taxonomy | CITT | University of Florida. (n.d.). https://citt.it.ufl.edu/resources/course-development-resources/the-learning-process/designing-the-learning-experience/blooms-taxonomy/

Cherry, K. C. (2024, April 2). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4136760

Friedman, N. P., & Robbins, T. W. (2021). The role of the prefrontal cortex in cognitive control and executive function. Neuropsychopharmacology, 47(1), 72–89. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-021-01132-0

Harvard Health. (2024, April 3). Understanding the stress response. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response

Mcleod, S. (2025). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

Ressler, K. J. (2010). Amygdala Activity, Fear, and Anxiety: Modulation by Stress. Biological Psychiatry, 67(12), 1117–1119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2010.04.027

Ruhl, C. (2025, March 11). Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/blooms-taxonomy.html