Motives that have not been learned, such as the need to acquire physical things, are called basic motives, distinguishable in that humans share them with other animals. They can be broken down into three classes: survival (hunger and thirst), social (sex and maternal expression), and curiosity (conscious investigation).

Since survival motives are directly dependent on a healthy physical state, homeostatic systems are crucial in picking up on body signals that warn of an imbalance and disruption of the internal mechanisms. The ability of the body to adapt to constant change allows it to recognize, for example, when blood sugar levels reach a point below what is healthy. Once this recognition occurs, a cry for help is put out (need) and the appropriate drive is stimulated, causing the organism to perform the actions that are necessary (obtaining food high in sugar) in returning blood sugar levels back to normal.