The Wilding theory of neuropsychological regulation is a relatively new theory in regards to human needs, behaviour and motivation
You may notice that the needs have been depicted here as a wheel or a spectrum, and not as a hierarchy, as is common with needs following Maslow’s famous theory. As a result, it is depicted as such because all human beings experience all of these needs to differing degrees at all times. The intensity of these needs differs from person to person due to their own personal neurology, and from moment to moment as situations change and as needs are left more or less met. My preferred way to represent this in the Wilding theory, is to show a spectrum of needs where complex balances occur. This is regularly depicted as a wheel.
Having said this. it is true to some extent that a hierarchy can play a role in how we prioritise behaviours that seek to address imbalances. When trying to regulate in a given moment, we are more likely to prioritise some needs over others initially. However, there are many occasions when the hierarchy just doesn’t represent the complexity of human behaviour and so is not helpful. Both depictions can be useful.
Autonomy
Our brains are wired in such a way that we have a deep sense of self that is unique. This drives us to seek out autonomy. Our need for autonomy includes the need to:
Have personal freedom, and therefore make our own choices.
Be self directed, including being able to acting for ourselves.
Express a distinct personality that gives us a sense of individuality.
Have our own ideas, and to hold our own personal values.
Human beings are a nervous system (including a brain), being carried around by a body that allows us to interact with the world. So essentially, we are brains that behave through our body. Behaviour is initiated or inhibited in the brain in order to meet the needs of that system.
Neurological = brain and nervous system
Psychological = behaviour
Humans are complex, and our brains are unique in many ways. In order to look at human needs and behaviour holistically, we must look at all five systems that directly influence our behaviour. These are interdependent. They interact with each other consistently:
Physical regulation (body)
Cognitive regulation (mind)
Sensory regulation (sensation)
Emotional regulation (feelings)
Psychological regulation (drivers of behaviour)
Needs for things such as nutrition, hydration, temperature etc.
Our need to be able to think clearly, and make choices.
The need to feel comfortable in our environment and within our own body.
Our need to experience emotion, but not feel overwhelmed by it.
The regulation of our behaviour requires that the above elements are regulated as well as the drivers mentioned below. These are the broad categories that explain what our brain is wired to make us do beyond the regulation of the above.
When we consider our most basic human systems, we can notice a pattern that nothing remains static. No aspect of being human (and no aspect of nature in fact) is still. That is to say, everything operates most effectively when it fluctuates between states, and this is easy to observe in considering our physical needs. We need enough nutrition but not too much. Our breathing rate needs to change and adapt in different circumstances and then re-balance into a usual rhythm. Moreover, I could describe every element of our basic needs this way.
When you look further into each of the areas described above, this pattern is still present. We need sensory input, but not too much. Our emotions are essential, but we need to feel them without being overwhelmed. We need to be able to take in new information but if we take it too far, we will need a lot of rest. This realisation let me to my first breakthrough. Fundamentally, humans need regulation. All of our behaviour is driven by us seeking relative balance depending on our own personal neurology, and our current circumstances.
We, as humans, function best when we are wholly well regulated, in the five broad areas above.
To be psychologically regulated means to be acting to support the wiring of our brains. Our behaviour is driven by all of the above aspects, so we act to keep ourselves physically, sensorily, cognitively and emotionally regulated. Those aspects impact our psychological regulation (shown on the wheel in red). Further to this, there are six drivers of behaviour that our brains are wired for. These are:
Protection
Predictability
Connection
Recognition
Autonomy
Novelty