Affiliation Need

The affiliation need is a term that describes the human need for involvement and belonging to a social group such as friends, neighbors, co-workers, colleagues, and teammates. This theory, popularized by David McLelland, is an extension of the work of Henry Murray who established a hierarchy of human needs including achievement, power, and affiliation to for a human motivational model. Not everyone has the same level of need for affiliation but those with a high need require warm, close relationships along with the approval of others.