William Glasser was an American psychiatrist and theorist who identified reality therapy and choice theory. His model is still studied and used today in conceptualizing human behavior.
He argued that all behavior is chosen. In his models of psychology, the foundation for behavior includes 5 basic needs: survival, power, fun, freedom, and love and belonging. These five needs, he believed, ignite all decisions- both conscious and unconscious.
He further explained that once a need is acknowledged in the mind, the following action can be through motivation or purpose, or can be flexible and creative.
Finally, Glasser explains that behavior is made up of 4 key states: acting, thinking, feeling, and physiological response. Acting and thinking require effort and a level of conscious awareness whereas feeling and physiological responses require a deeper level of awareness in order to change the outcome. Other elements of his theory consist of viewing the world as the inner world or the outer world. Everyones inner world, which he termed a "quality world", is made up of desires and wants. The "perceived world" is made up of knowledge, memories, and experiences that contribute to a person's reasons for acting, thinking, feeling, and physiological responses. It encompasses how each individual sees the world based on their own life experiences. This is the part of the self that is explored in a counseling setting or when an individual is aiming to "find themselves" or understand why they are the way they are. The outer or real world is what is actually happening at face value and without subjectivity.
So here is how we can apply this model to our individual life. The first step is understanding what your needs are and what ones seem to dominate or drive behavior most.
Survival: includes everything needed for safety and security. This includes shelter, a healthy body and mind, proper nutrition, and reproduction.
Love and belonging: are regarded as the second most important need aside from basic survival needs. Love and belonging include the desire to be connected with others. It can include everything from intimate relationships, familial relationships, or any group or cohort relationship.
Freedom: includes the need for autonomy or the freedom of choice, being able to live without restriction, and feeling independent.
Power: encompasses the need for recognition and respect. This need stems from the need for autonomy or freedom which transpires to self-esteem and the desire to be deemed competent. This need may also include the need to make a difference, have a purpose, or leave behind a legacy or remembrance.
Fun: is the final need that can serve as a miscellaneous yet important category of Glasser's basic needs. The need for fun includes everything from play, relaxation, passion work, humor, inner child needs, and non-pressured learning.
The next time you make a conscious decision, ask yourself what category is it feeding into. If these needs aren't being met, individuals tend to feel incomplete, lost, or experience struggles in various aspects of their lives. There are also times when one need can dominate, also resulting in potential harm to the individual's wellbeing. If an individual uses all of their energy on survival (i.e. working in their career more than is needed to financially survive), they may neglect the other categories which can also lead to struggles. Another example may include an individual who never felt they received autonomy or had freedom in many aspects of life. This individual may overcompensate leading to unhealthy behaviors and coping skills. This may look like someone who is spontaneous because the freedom of choice results in so much dopamine it's constantly rewarded. They may have the "I can do whatever I want" attitude and have no regard for other people's emotions or they may engage in unhealthy behaviors such as substance use, excessive spending, or engage in activities that provide an adrenaline rush.
Sometimes it takes hearing a tragic story or something to put into perspective what our needs are versus our wants. If we understand our needs, we can develop an appreciation for all of the extras in life. We can live with increased attention to our behaviors and understand what is driving our behaviors. There are many different theories on basic needs and how we can move through our needs to self-actualization. In trauma work, when the basic needs aren't met, neurological disruption can occur which does impact behavior. I tend to use many other theories of behavior in my work with trauma clients, however, William Glasser highlights important aspects that I find noteworthy. The primary difference with this theory is that fun is outlined as a basic need that drives behavior. Fun can correlate to feeding the "inner child" that is within every individual. Establishing a balanced lifestyle is one that incorporates survival needs and basic needs so people can live in harmony with their whole selves.
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