Which theory posits that a physiological need creates an aroused tension state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need?

• A. Motivation
• B. Drive-Reduction Theory
• C. Instinct Theory
• D. Superordinate Goals

Answer: (B)

Drive-Reduction Theory explains that a physiological need creates an aroused, tension-filled state called a drive, and that drive motivates the organism to take action to satisfy the need and thus reduce the drive. This ties a biological deficit directly to a specific motivation and a behavior aimed at fulfilling that deficit. In other theories, motivation is described more broadly (not tied to a specific drive), instinct theory emphasizes inherited patterns of behavior rather than responses to deficits, and superordinate goals refer to group-wide aims or cooperative outcomes rather than physiological needs driving individual behavior.