The 4 Main Primary Impulses: What They Are And What They Are For
Human beings move and act for different reasons and goals. These can be multiple, often based on the fact of meeting a lack or need or preventing its appearance. It is in this context that we have probably heard on occasion about primary impulses as something that is impossible to escape and that are sometimes used as justification for different types of actions, and can even lead to criminal acts.
But… What are primary impulses and why are they considered as such? In this article we propose to make a brief comment on this matter.
We can consider as primary impulses the set of motivations that induce action in order to respond to the most basic needs of the subject, its compliance being fundamental in most cases for the survival of the subject.
These impulses are aimed at ensuring that the subject manages to increase their energy level if it is insufficient to maintain their functioning or survive, or reduce it if it is excessive and poses a risk to their health. It also allows maintain a state of homeostasis or balance that keeps us alive.
Primary impulses have a biological or organic basis, being and arising innately in all living beings. This implies that impulse is not culturally learned, although the means to achieve it (hunting, farming or flirting, for example) are. In fact the primary impulses They are shared by a large number of animals, not only human beings.
There are different types of primary stimuli, highlighting four main ones. Although we generally talk about three, taking into account the definition of these we have decided to add a fourth primary impulse that in fact is fundamental for our survival. Let’s look at them below.
1. Hunger
The impulse to feed is one of the most basic that exists, and allows survival through the intake of different nutrients. Thus the individual can maintain or increase their energy levels. This type of primary impulse oscillates between two main types of signals or poles, hunger or the impulse to search for food or satiety as the impulse to stop eating.
2. Thirst
Thirst is another of the fundamental primary impulses that allows us to survive. The objective of this impulse is to recover the levels of fluids or body fluids in such a way that body homeostasis can be maintained. We must keep in mind that throughout our lives we continually lose fluids with our behavior, so not recovering them would end up leading to death. Thanks to thirst we can recover fluid levels and maintain the correct functioning of our body.
3. Sex
Probably one of the best known and most considered primary drives, sex is the mechanism through which we perpetuate our species, generating new individuals that will carry a large part of our genetic code. Within the primary impulses, however, we are facing one of the most particular, since it has unique characteristics.
Firstly, it is the only primary impulse that does not actually involve an activity that alters the chances of survival of the individual organism, nor does it imply either an increase or a decrease in the level of energy necessary to stay alive. Likewise, another peculiarity of this primary impulse is that it is the only one of the most primary ones that necessarily requires interaction with another member of the same species promoting a certain level of socialization.
Although sleep or rest is not always added as one of the primary impulses because it implies an absence of behavioral activity, the truth is that we could include it within them. In fact, it is one of the most important vital needs, the total absence of which would lead to death. The reasons why dreams can be considered a primary impulse are primarily because It is something imposed by our biology which allows us to survive.
This impulse to want to sleep leads us to optimize energy levels and physical activation throughout life, avoiding the state of lack and discomfort that would result from not having this need met.
Other fundamental primary impulses
Although when we talk about primary impulses we usually think of the previous four, the truth is that we can think of many others that we do not usually take into account and that are even largely unconscious. Among them we can find the following.
1. Maternal or paternal impulse
This type of impulse It arises innately when we are fathers or mothers. Although in some species both mother and father seem to feel it, in others it is only found in one of the parents. Generally this parent is the mother (although, for example, in the seahorse the reverse happens).
This impulse shares with the sexual impulse the fact that At a physiological level it does not represent any benefit at the individual survival level although it does for the propagation of the species, and is linked to the presence of a being of the same species.
A distinctive element is the kinship relationship that usually exists between parent and progeny (although it also appears with adopted children). It refers to the need to be close, protect, nurture, care for and be aware of one’s offspring. This impulse can even push the animal or subject to self-destructive acts in order to protect the children.
2. Breathing
It is an impulse that is semi-conscious in humans, but is not such in other species (such as dolphins). It represents the impulse of open the airways in order to allow the entry of a supply of oxygen (which allows our cells to stay alive) and the excretion of waste from cellular functioning.
3. Excretion
Defecating or urinating are fundamental processes, which represent a primary impulse aimed at eliminating all those organic waste that could harm our functioning to stay within us. If salivation or sweating are not included, it is because they are unconscious processes, not requiring conscious action or motivation for action.
