We explain what physiological needs are, their biological basis and examples. In addition, other needs of the Maslow pyramid.
What are physiological needs?
Physiological needs are those that are related to individual survival, from a biological or bodily point of view, that is, those whose satisfaction guarantees us to continue living.
With that name, the American psychologist Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) baptized the most elementary and basic of the hierarchical levels of human needs, according to the pyramidal model that he proposed in his “Theory on motivations Human "of 1943: the famous"Maslow's pyramid”.
Like the rest of the animals, the Humans we are endowed with a complex bodily reality, sustained based on the consumption of organic material for your oxidation and synthesis of Energy (what we call breathing).
This whole process involves a minimum set of bodily and metabolic needs to meet, if we want to continue living. These basic, primary or fundamental needs were called in Maslow's model as physiological or primary needs, and they were located on the first rung of the famous pyramid.
In other words, the primary needs are the first to be satisfied, they are not preceded by any other type of condition. Therefore, when they are not satisfied, it is impossible to satisfy other needs of the upper rungs of the pyramid.
That is why the situation of vulnerability The fact that it is impossible to satisfy these needs on a continuous basis is an alarming situation, both on an individual level and on a community level.
Some examples of physiological needs are as follows:
- The breathing, mechanism metabolic basic from which we obtain vital energy.
- The feeding, since from it we obtain organic matter to be able to breathe and nurture us.
- Intake of Water, since without hydrating our body, we will suffer from diseases and eventually death.
- Sleep, and especially a certain minimum number of hours of sleep, since without these periods of rest, our body suffers, weakens and functions in irregular ways.
Other needs according to Maslow's Pyramid
The other levels of the famous Maslow Pyramid are made up of needs of another nature, such as:
- Needs of security, the second rung of the pyramid, which has to do with the defense of the individual against vital threats: diseases, predators, climatic elements, etc.
- Affiliation Needs, the third rung of the pyramid, contemplates the needs derived from our gregarious life, that is, as a tribe: our need to belong, to establish lasting social and emotional ties.
- Needs of appreciation or esteem, the fourth rung of the pyramid, above the social needs, and related to self esteem, personal value, reputation or, also, esteem for others.
- Needs of self-realization, the highest point of the pyramid, reserved for the needs related to the vital purpose, that is, to the role that one person meets in the world, their goals or Projects personal, etc.