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For Maslow’s original 1943 article, the APA 7 reference is:

Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346

Use (Maslow, 1943) or Maslow (1943) in your text. This reference is for the journal article, not automatically for every pyramid diagram, textbook explanation or edition of Motivation and Personality.

Understanding Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s 1943 article discusses physiological needs, safety, love, esteem and self-actualization. You can read the original article reproduced by York University’s Classics in the History of Psychology. Cite a particular passage only after checking it; a simplified diagram is not a substitute for reading the source.

Choose the source before choosing the citation:

• If you read the 1943 article, use the article reference and its relevant page.
• If you read a book, use the year, edition and publisher of that copy.
• If you read a webpage explaining Maslow, cite that webpage or use your style’s secondary-citation convention.
• If you reproduce a diagram, identify its actual creator and source, and check any permission or licence requirements separately.

How to Cite Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in APA Style

Journal article: Use the complete 1943 reference above. A paraphrase can use (Maslow, 1943). For a direct quotation, include the page of the quoted passage: (Maslow, 1943, p. [actual page]). Replace the bracketed instruction; it is not part of a finished citation.

Original 1954 book:

Maslow, A. H. (1954). Motivation and personality. Harper & Brothers.

The NII library record for the 1954 publication identifies Harper & Brothers. Later editions or reprints can have different publishers and dates. Check your title and copyright pages rather than combining a later publisher with the original year.

Original illustrative paraphrase: Maslow (1943) discusses human motivation in terms of different kinds of needs. This sentence acknowledges the source without presenting an invented quotation or claiming that a particular classroom experience proves the theory.

How to Cite Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in MLA Style

Article Works Cited entry:

Maslow, Abraham H. “A Theory of Human Motivation.” Psychological Review, vol. 50, no. 4, 1943, pp. 370–96. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346.

Book Works Cited entry for the original 1954 publication:

Maslow, Abraham H. Motivation and Personality. Harper & Brothers, 1954.

An in-text template is (Maslow [actual page]). If you cite both works, distinguish them with a shortened title as required. Do not use 370 simply because it is the first page of the article; use the page supporting your particular statement. The MLA’s official guide explains how citations identify sources and locations.

How to Cite Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in Chicago Style

Chicago offers notes-and-bibliography and author-date systems. Use the system your assignment specifies.

Notes-and-bibliography, first-note template:

1. Abraham H. Maslow, “A Theory of Human Motivation,” Psychological Review 50, no. 4 (1943): [actual cited page], https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346.

Bibliography:

Maslow, Abraham H. “A Theory of Human Motivation.” Psychological Review 50, no. 4 (1943): 370–96. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346.

The bibliography gives the article’s full page range; a note citing a particular passage gives the relevant page. Replace the bracketed instruction in the note before using it. See the official Chicago notes-and-bibliography guide.

Author-date reference:

Maslow, Abraham H. 1943. “A Theory of Human Motivation.” Psychological Review 50 (4): 370–96. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346.

For a particular passage, use (Maslow 1943, [actual page]), replacing the bracketed instruction with its location.

Common Pitfalls and Tips for Citing

1. Article versus book: The 1943 article and 1954 book are different publications.
2. Real DOI: The article DOI is 10.1037/h0054346. A placeholder such as “xxxx” is not a valid reference.
3. Checked quotations: Use the original wording and actual page, not a page number supplied by a generic example.
4. Source transparency: Do not imply you read a primary source if your information comes only from a secondary webpage.

Conclusion

Start with the publication you actually used, then apply the required style consistently. Check the DOI, edition and cited page before submission. For other academic citations, visit our referencing resources, including guides to Schön and Gibbs.