Scientists Identify Fifteen Key Motives Driving Human Behaviour
Researchers at HSE University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have identified 15 key motives that drive human behaviour. By analysing people's views, preferences, and actions through an evolutionary lens, they demonstrated how these motives intertwine to shape habits and interpersonal relationships. The findings have been published in Personality and Individual Differences.
The question of what motivates human behaviour has long intrigued psychologists. Various approaches are used to assess these underlying motives. The most well-known theory is Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, introduced in the mid-20th century. However, most approaches emphasise the social aspects of motivation while overlooking its evolutionary underpinnings.
A group of researchers at HSE University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine proposed analysing human behaviour motives from an evolutionary perspective. In the proposed framework, all motives are viewed as evolutionary adaptations that enhanced early humans' ability to survive in their environment and continue to influence behaviour today. The scientists proceed from the premise that if certain evolutionary mechanisms once triggered specific behaviours, the underlying motives can be identified using standard psychometric techniques.
To accomplish this, the study authors conducted an online survey with over 500 participants who were asked to rate 150 statements concerning their everyday preferences, fears, desires, and social aspirations. The statements were based on previously identified motives from other studies reflecting physical, reproductive, or social needs, such as 'I enjoy going on roller coasters,' 'Eating is less important to me than it seems to be for most people,' and 'I spend a lot of time staying in touch with my friends,' among others.
Using network analysis, the researchers identified stable clusters of motives. The study found that human behaviour is driven by 15 key motives, which can be grouped into five broad categories: environmental (Hoard, Create), physiological (Fear, Disgust, Hunger, Comfort), reproductive (Lust, Attract, Love, Nurture), psychological (Curiosity, Play), and social (Affiliate, Status, Justice).
The researchers also identified functional relationships between motives, contributing to a deeper understanding of motivational structures. For example, Justice has strong ties to Nurture and Curiosity, suggesting that it is a function of both concern for the welfare of others and a need to keep abreast of where anti-social behaviours might be occurring.
Interestingly, the motives of Play and Status emerged as pivotal points of connectivity, interacting extensively with other nodes, suggesting they influence a broad range of related motives. Status appears to be important as it facilitates the attainment of other goals by providing access to resources that enhance the chances of success in life, including attracting a partner. Maintaining status involves hoarding resources, fearing the loss of these resources, and effectively using them in various situations. The motive of play, in turn, helps develop the skills needed to maintain status and adapt to changing circumstances.
'Using network-based psychometric techniques, we were able to observe how motives interrelate. For instance, the motives of Love and Nurture are positioned close to each other in the network, which makes sense from an evolutionary perspective, as caring for offspring enhances their chances of survival. Conversely, the motives of Fear and Curiosity often have opposing effects. Fear keeps us away from danger, but when excessive, it can suppress curiosity, which fosters knowledge and innovation,' explains Albina Gallyamova, Junior Research Fellow at the HSE Centre for Sociocultural Research.
The study also revealed age- and gender-related variations in the significance of different motives. Women tend to show a greater interest in the motives of Nurture and Comfort, while men are more likely to focus on the motives of Status and Attraction. The researchers note that these differences are linked to the traditional roles men and women played in our evolutionary past.
Age also contributes to shaping our priorities. Younger individuals tend to be more focused on Status and Play, while as people age, Fear and concern for Comfort become more prominent. 'These changes reflect different life stages: initially, we strive to secure our place in society, and later, we focus on safety and survival,' adds Gallyamova.
The study findings can be valuable in various fields, ranging from marketing to IT. For example, in advertising, understanding the motives of different social groups allows for more precise and effective communication. Youth focused on Status and Play are more likely to respond to incentives related to prestige and entertainment, while a more mature audience prioritises safety, reliability, and comfort. In the field of AI, understanding evolutionary motives enables a more human-centred approach, offering gamification and social interaction for younger users, while emphasising convenience and simplicity for the older generation. In therapy, understanding the underlying motives can help provide a more accurate response to the client's needs. For example, addressing anxiety can take into account the evolutionary mechanism of avoiding danger and help strike a balance between safety and curiosity.
'Ultimately, understanding the evolutionary motives that drive our behaviour enables us to create solutions that make people's lives more comfortable, safer, and more interesting,' explains Gallyamova.
See also:
Scientists Discover Why Parents May Favour One Child Over Another
An international team that included Prof. Marina Butovskaya from HSE University studied how willing parents are to care for a child depending on the child’s resemblance to them. The researchers found that similarity to the mother or father affects the level of care provided by parents and grandparents differently. Moreover, this relationship varies across Russia, Brazil, and the United States, reflecting deep cultural differences in family structures in these countries. The study's findings have been published in Social Evolution & History.
When a Virus Steps on a Mine: Ancient Mechanism of Infected Cell Self-Destruction Discovered
When a virus enters a cell, it disrupts the cell’s normal functions. It was previously believed that the cell's protective response to the virus triggered cellular self-destruction. However, a study involving bioinformatics researchers at HSE University has revealed a different mechanism: the cell does not react to the virus itself but to its own transcripts, which become abnormally long. The study has been published in Nature.
Researchers Identify Link between Bilingualism and Cognitive Efficiency
An international team of researchers, including scholars from HSE University, has discovered that knowledge of a foreign language can improve memory performance and increase automaticity when solving complex tasks. The higher a person’s language proficiency, the stronger the effect. The results have been published in the journal Brain and Cognition.
Artificial Intelligence Transforms Employment in Russian Companies
Russian enterprises rank among the world’s top ten leaders in AI adoption. In 2023, nearly one-third of domestic companies reported using artificial intelligence. According to a new study by Larisa Smirnykh, Professor at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences, the impact of digitalisation on employment is uneven: while the introduction of AI in small and large enterprises led to a reduction in the number of employees, in medium-sized companies, on the contrary, it contributed to job growth. The article has been published in Voprosy Ekonomiki.
Lost Signal: How Solar Activity Silenced Earth's Radiation
Researchers from HSE University and the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences analysed seven years of data from the ERG (Arase) satellite and, for the first time, provided a detailed description of a new type of radio emission from near-Earth space—the hectometric continuum, first discovered in 2017. The researchers found that this radiation appears a few hours after sunset and disappears one to three hours after sunrise. It was most frequently observed during the summer months and less often in spring and autumn. However, by mid-2022, when the Sun entered a phase of increased activity, the radiation had completely vanished—though the scientists believe the signal may reappear in the future. The study has been published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics.
Banking Crises Drive Biodiversity Loss
Economists from HSE University, MGIMO University, and Bocconi University have found that financial crises have a significant negative impact on biodiversity and the environment. This relationship appears to be bi-directional: as global biodiversity declines, the likelihood of new crises increases. The study examines the status of populations encompassing thousands of species worldwide over the past 50 years. The article has been published in Economics Letters, an international journal.
Scientists Discover That the Brain Responds to Others’ Actions as if They Were Its Own
When we watch someone move their finger, our brain doesn’t remain passive. Research conducted by scientists from HSE University and Lausanne University Hospital shows that observing movement activates the motor cortex as if we were performing the action ourselves—while simultaneously ‘silencing’ unnecessary muscles. The findings were published in Scientific Reports.
Russian Scientists Investigate Age-Related Differences in Brain Damage Volume Following Childhood Stroke
A team of Russian scientists and clinicians, including Sofya Kulikova from HSE University in Perm, compared the extent and characteristics of brain damage in children who experienced a stroke either within the first four weeks of life or before the age of two. The researchers found that the younger the child, the more extensive the brain damage—particularly in the frontal and parietal lobes, which are responsible for movement, language, and thinking. The study, published in Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology, provides insights into how age can influence the nature and extent of brain lesions and lays the groundwork for developing personalised rehabilitation programmes for children who experience a stroke early in life.
Scientists Test Asymmetry Between Matter and Antimatter
An international team, including scientists from HSE University, has collected and analysed data from dozens of experiments on charm mixing—the process in which an unstable charm meson oscillates between its particle and antiparticle states. These oscillations were observed only four times per thousand decays, fully consistent with the predictions of the Standard Model. This indicates that no signs of new physics have yet been detected in these processes, and if unknown particles do exist, they are likely too heavy to be observed with current equipment. The paper has been published in Physical Review D.
HSE Scientists Reveal What Drives Public Trust in Science
Researchers at HSE ISSEK have analysed the level of trust in scientific knowledge in Russian society and the factors shaping attitudes and perceptions. It was found that trust in science depends more on everyday experience, social expectations, and the perceived promises of science than on objective knowledge. The article has been published in Universe of Russia.