Maslow's Needs Hierarchy Exercise
Assume that a friend has asked you to help her in developing a series of messages to persuade people to join literacy classes and to learn to read. The messages will take the form of a public speech or radio and television public service announcements. Use Maslow's Needs Hierarchy to construct five different messages, each of which focuses on how learning to read can help people fulfill one of Maslow's basic needs. You do not need to create a speech; simply describe what the message will be and discuss which need it is based on. Post your five messages.
Television Messages
During the week, watch a national news broadcast of your choice and a half-hour or hour-long television situation comedy that contains a family or a neighborhood of people. While you are watching these programs, take notes of the messages these programs are giving you. For example, on the news program, what types of stories are reported? What kind of ideological messages can you detect? On the situation comedy, what types of values do these people hold? Are they similar to your values or to people you know? With both programs, don't forget to include an analysis of the advertising during commercials. What types of products or services are being advertised? What is the message? In the ads, how was happiness defined? Your goal is to notice what audience members are being told about themselves and the values they should hold. Post your responses to these questions.