Biology of drives.

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Abstract
Although the problem of motivation can become exceedingly complex, Richter believes that a concrete basis for the study of drives does exist: "It is that biological functions of animals can be understood in terms of efforts made by the total organism to maintain a constant internal environment." Although the primary regulation of the steady state in the internal environment takes place within the organism through the homeostatic mechanisms, the external behavior of the total organism is also significant. Compensatory self-regulation of diet in rats with posterior lobe pituitary lesions, adrenalectomized rats, parathyroidectomized rats, and pancreatectomized rats has been demonstrated. Nest building activities of thyroidectomized animals is also cited. In answer to the question of the mechanisms involved in this regulatory behavior, two explanations are offered. Regulation may be due to experience, the animal noting the beneficial effects of particular activities, or it may be a matter of taste physiology. In any event, Richter concludes that the drives "have their origin in the deep biological urge of mammals to maintain a constant internal environment. The activities may be very diverse, and there may be many different goals, but the underlying biological drives remain the same." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)

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