Escapism in the Hierarchy of Needs I've been pondering Maslow's famous hierarchy of needs and wondered where escapism fits in.

It's more of a personal need than a type of social connection, but it doesn't really align itself with esteem/significance. So it appears to me that it could merit its own category.

Can anyone give me a general idea of the importance of escapism based on studies? Am I correct in classifying it as a "need," and that depriving a person of their fantasies or other forms of escapism would have a significant impact?
After doing more research and based on another discussion(s) on this forum, I'll attempt to answer this question.

It sounds like escapism doesn't rank really high on most psychologists' radar. In addition, the hierarchy of needs has largely fallen out of favor, making my question irrelevant for some. There's also the problem of defining "escapism" in the first place.

One could include the need for privacy under escapism. The rigors of prison include a dehumanizing lack of privacy. In the case of torture (e.g. Guantanamo), prisoners' minds can be further manipulated to prevent other forms of escapism.

If one wanted to create a more comprehensive hierarchy of needs than Maslow's, escapism could certainly deserve its own spot alongside social connections and esteem. Or perhaps escapism and esteem could be grouped together as "individual needs," as opposed to social connections.

Though people can obviously survive and even thrive in the absence of social connections, escapism is something we all carry with us. For example, most people daydream, which could be considered a form of escapism.

I see privacy as the polar corollary of social connections - everyone needs a balance of social influences and privacy. I see escapism as a separate phenomenon that largely overlaps with privacy.