Figure 3.

Hierarchy of Biological Functions Based on Contextual Demands and States of Arousal

Note. This figure represents a hierarchy of biological needs that depends on energy resources deployed among cells and across the body. At the bottom of the hierarchy are basic needs for surviving in the present moment, such as repairing acute damage (e.g., proteins) and maintaining physical integrity (e.g., membrane potential), as well as responding to acute threats. Once those needs are met, then the organism can devote energy toward the next level of need—preparing for coming environmental demands; this process is also termed predictive regulation or allostasis (Bobba-Alves, Juster, & Picard, 2022). If this level does not consume all energy resources, then energy can finally be used toward optimizing. In other words, once cellular and physiological systems are working well, and there are no threats to take care of or plan for, then energy is directed toward cellular restoration. Each level of the hierarchy is associated with a different allostatic state, as indicated in the figure with italicized text. See the online article for the color version of this figure.