Hierarchy of Women's Needs in Iranian Old Stories Based on Maslow's Pyramid

The aim of the current research was to investigate the hierarchy of women's needs in ancient Iranian stories based on Abraham Maslow's pyramid. The research universe included all ancient Iranian stories. The sample of the research embraced the stories of Kalileh and Demeneh, Marzbannameh, Bakhtiyarnameh, Sindbadnameh and Samak Ayar, based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs in women. The research method was descriptive and analytical. Library method was used to collect data and old Iranian stories and themes related to women's needs based on Abraham Maslow's pyramid were reviewed. Then the collected data was compared and psychologically analyzed, then finally a specific pattern of women's needs was drawn. The results showed that: the existence of different characters, including women's characters and different behaviors, provided the basis for the psychological analysis of the texts. Regarding to this, the psychological needs of women in ancient stories, including the stories of Kalila and Demaneh, Marzbannameh, Bakhtiyarnameh, Sindbadnameh and Samak Ayar, according to their motivation and the level of their inner satisfaction with life was categorized based on the Maslow's pyramid of basic needs (biological needs, need for safety, need for love and affiliation, need for self-esteem and need for self-actualization). Biological needs, which are at the base of Maslow's pyramid were reflected in some of the stories of Kalila and Demeneh, Marzbannameh and Sinbadnameh. Women's need for love, affiliation to others and safety" had been considered in the next levels of the pyramid. Also, in the stories of Kalila and Demeneh, Marzban Nameh and Samak Ayar, there were rflections of self-actualization. In other words, the needs of women in old stories can be categorized based on Abraham Maslow's pyramid of needs. According to Maslow, meeting the needs of each category provides the basis for the emergence of the needs of higher categories. Based on this, in order to flourish and be creative in women, the biological and safety needs must be met first.