Needs and Attractors: A Dynamic Framework within the Unified Dynamic Model of the Mind (UDMM)

For decades, traditional psychological models have often conceptualized human needs as sequential stages or static requirements. Maslow’s (1943) hierarchy of needs remains a foundational concept, but its linear interpretation has faced criticism for oversimplifying the complexity of human motivation. This paper builds upon the foundational principles of the Unified Dynamic Model of the Mind (UDMM), as outlined in my previous foundational work (Aidaros, 2025), by conceptualizing needs as dynamic attractors that guide cognition in a non-linear, adaptive manner. Central to this process is the Virtual Attractor, a concept aligned with Karl Friston's (2010) Free-Energy Principle, which represents the system's ideal state of balance and synchronization with reality—a state that is perpetually approached but never fully attained. This paper proposes a dynamic framework for understanding the mind's continuous negotiation between coherence and entropy. It first outlines the hierarchical structure of attractors within the UDMM. It then differentiates between healthy, temporary deviation and the more serious systemic hijacking. Finally, it analyzes the fundamental reasons why lower-order bodily attractors are predisposed to hijack the system, providing a theoretical lens for examining phenomena ranging from addiction to societal collapse.