What Are Biological Motives?

The human body is biologically motivated to stay balanced.

Biological motives include the most basic human motivations such as hunger, thirst, sex and sensory stimulation. Biological motives are wired into the body's nervous system and are necessary for human survival states Dr. Russ Dewey of Psych Web. Biological motivations are closely linked to homeostasis, the physical ability of a living creature to create balance in the body. Encyclopedia Britannica explains that if homeostasis is successful, life continues; if unsuccessful, disaster or death ensues.

Thirst

Thirst keeps the body's water balance in check

Humans are about 70 percent water. Thirst is an example of homeostasis in action because a human must stay hydrated in order to survive. If a person is too dehydrated, she will die. Biological motives mean you are instinctively wired to stay quenched. When the body lacks water, the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus portion of the brain signal the body, creating thirst. If fluid is available, you are biologically motivated to drink.

Hunger

The loud grumbles of a hungry stomach emphasize how powerful hunger is as a biological motive. Without eating, energy gets low because the body's cells lack glucose. The state of low blood sugar in the body creates hunger and physical discomfort. Chemicals tell the brain to eat because the body is biologically motivated to create balance in the body. When blood sugar is normal, hunger disappears and the body's equilibrium is restored.

Sex

Reproduction is one of the greatest biological motivators, right up there with hunger and thirst. Pleasurable as it may be, sex is not necessary for personal survival, but it is necessary to the survival of the human race. Powerful hormones in the body like estrogen and progesterone act in their best interest to further the species, creating very powerful biological motives for humans to seek out sex. Hormones create other valuable human qualities like maternal instincts, athleticism, and the ability to think straight, believe it or not.

Sensory Stimulation

A person locked in a dark room for a long period of time suffers, both physically and mentally. Humans are instinctively wired to seek sensory stimulation from all five senses. Everyday of their lives, people seek stimulation from the world around them, whether it's music on the radio or the smell of coffee in the morning. If a person is deprived of all stimulation, they become depressed and unbalanced. The University of Maine warns that if a child doesn't receive stimulation early on, neural pathways and synapses won't develop properly.

References

• Encyclopedia Britannica: Homeostasis
• Psych Web: Hull's Theory; Russ Dewey
• "University of Maine Cooperative Extension Publications Bulletin #4356"; Children and Brain Development: What We Know About How Children Learn; Judith Graham; 2001