Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Unmet biological needs refer to the physiological requirements that are not satisfied, resulting in a state of tension or discomfort. These needs include basic bodily necessities such as food, water, sleep, and sex.
The body's tendency to maintain internal stability by adjusting its physiological processes. For example, when the body becomes too hot, it sweats to cool down and restore balance.
A psychological theory that suggests motivation arises from the need to reduce internal tension caused by unmet biological needs.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: A framework that categorizes human needs into five levels (physiological, safety, belongingness/love, esteem, self-actualization) where lower-level needs must be met before higher-level ones can become motivating factors.