In Maslow's hierarchy, which level directly follows Social needs?

In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, social needs, also known as love and belonging needs, encompass the human desire for interpersonal relationships, which includes friendships, family, intimacy, and social connections. Once these social needs are satisfied, individuals naturally seek to enhance their self-esteem and gain the recognition of others, which corresponds to esteem needs.

Esteem needs involve the need for respect, self-esteem, status, recognition, and a sense of achievement. Meeting these needs is crucial for individuals to feel valued and confident, allowing them to progress toward achieving their full potential, represented in the final stage of the hierarchy.

The hierarchy is structured in a way that one level of needs must generally be satisfied before higher-level needs become motivating factors. Therefore, after fulfilling social needs, individuals turn their focus toward obtaining esteem, making it the direct successor in the hierarchy.