WHAT ARE THE 16 BASIC DESIRES

The 16 basic desires determine our lives and give purpose and meaning to our existence. Steven Reiss assumed that at least 14 of the identified motives have a genetic determination. So, while most of our motives have an evolutionary origin, they are also shaped by culture, our beliefs and our individual experiences. What we wish for is largely determined by our genes, but how we fulfil our desires is mainly determined by our culture and our experiences.

While they apply to all people, their intensity and expression is different in every human being. A possible 3 million combinations of these intensities make each individual’s profile absolutely unique; like one’s fingerprints. When you understand your own motives, and those of others, it allows you to reduce conflict, accept yourself and others as they are, and to value and work with your differences

Read more about the 16 basic desires, below.

Click to open a desire!

Power

Desire to lead and influence; willing to take on responsiblities; ambitious
and success-oriented; willful and determined

***

Typically dislike leadership roles; prefer to be influenced, led or advised
by others

Independence

Value independence and personal freedom more than most; have a desire for self-reliance

***

Have a strong need for interdependent relationships. Many are comforted knowing they can rely on
others wehen they need help. Desire to bond with others and want to be part of a community

Curiosity

Place an unusually high value on understanding things; intellectual behaviour;

Gets to the bottom of things; analytical

***

Prefer a practival approach; dislike having to analyse; take a practical approach to accomplishing goals

Acceptance

Sensitive to cristicism and rejection; actively seek addpetance and are sensitive to what people say abouth them

***

Less sensitive to the possibility of failure and criticism; self-reliant and confident; handle setbacks better than most people

Order

Are highly attuned to a need to schedule, organise or plan things. Like structure and attention to detail,

and usually dislike having to adapt to change

***

May dislike a highly organised environment or schedule. Some dislike having to conform their behaviour

to rules and plans

Saving

Like to collect things – either things of value like money, or goods. Other times, it could include things of

no vlaue at all. Tend to be frugal

***

Little to no interest in collecting or saving things; tendency to give away things, or high on material generosity

Honor

Tuned in to the moral aspects of life; value personal character and accept responsiblity for their actions; high need

for moral integrity and loyalty

***

Stronly motivated by their own personal code of conduct; weh an opportunity presents itself, they are willing to do

whatever it takes, to exploit it

Social contact

Seek an active social life, with a strong need to be surrounded by people. Communicative and outgoing

***

Prefer time alone; have little need for social interaction, and like to spend time away, to rejuvenate

Idealism

Strongly motivated by social justice and tuned in to the welfare of the needy. Is humanitarian, wants to make the world

a better place

***

Realistic and pragmatic approach to social issues and questions; usually believe that injustice and unfairness

are part and parcel of life

Family

Place a lot of value on family ties, sibling relationships. Highly family-oriented, put family first and spend a significant
amount of time at home

***

Care about family, but don’t feel the need to spend significant amounts of time with them. Might not necessarily want to
have children

Status

Place very high value on wealth, prestige, status and power, and are impressed by fame and popularity

***

Humble, down-to-earth, and relatively unimpressed by the trappings of wealth

Winning / Vengeance

Have a fighting spirit and a high need for competition; like to win, and seek retribution actively

***

Avoid conflicts and arguments; have little to no need to be compared, and prefer harmony

Beauty

Places a high value on beauty, sesuality, art, design of fashion

***

Values function before form; places little to no value on beatiful things or sesuality

Eating

Enjoy eating; may eat a lot and have a very stron appetite

***

Do not place high value on foodK may have a weak appetite and are likely to be fussy eaters

Physical Activity

Eyjoy physical fitness and motion – are usually energetic and active

***

Usually dislike and avoid physical exertion, or sports

Tranquility

May have a high sensitivity to danger, risk, or pain, and might experience a fair amount of stress and anxiety, on a frequent basis

***

Are slow to frighten, remain cool under pressure, and have little to low sensitivity for anxiety and pain