A factor analytic study was conducted to test the validity of a ten‐item questionnaire developed by Mitchell and Moudgill (1976) as a measure of Maslow's need categories. The sample was composed of 50 male process workers of different national origins. Very limited support was obtained for the Mitchell and Moudgill questionnaire: this was explained in terms of the validity of the instrument, the severity of the test, the sample size, and the theoretical pre‐eminence of “importance”, as opposed to “is now” and “deficit” scores, as an indicator of need cat