Psychologists, in the early part of the twentieth century were fascinated le concept of homeostasis. They borrowed this concept from physiology, de Bernad, a physiologist coined the word “homeostasis” to explain the stability of the inner environment or physiological equilibrium.
The function of all biological drives is to regulate and maintain the physiological equilibrium of the organism. When the internal state is disturbed, the conditions propel the organism to seek activity. Such activity continues until the equilibrium is restored and this state is called homeostasis. Generally homeostatic asses are physiological and automatic in nature. The examples are maintenance of body temperature, adequate supplies of nutrition for growth maintenances of body and so on.
Psychologists used two terms for homeostasis for animals and human begins separately. For animals, it is known as static equilibrium or static homeostasis. This involves a limited part of the organism, mostly reflexes or is of reflexes, where the activities are controlled by the spinal cord and the brain. But the human being is more than a biological creature. He is superior animals. So the psychologists used the concept of ‘dynamic homeostasis’ to explain our complex behaviour. This behaviour takes place as a consequence of the functioning of the cerebral cortex.
It is true that an organism strives to restore its balance when there is a Dlogical deficiency. On the same line, it also strives to maintain equilibrium there is psychological imbalance. This could be inferred from the processes of adjustment or coping patterns.
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The organism may use other and means to resolve conflicts and reduce the tension arising out of conflicts for a short span of time. This state is referred to as dynamic equilibrium by Kurt Lewin. So it is obvious that static and dynamic homeostases e key concepts in understanding human motives.
No doubt, the concept of homeostasis has been borrowed from physics- and physiology to explain psychological processes. Experts opined that trying to explain psychological processes with this concept is like fixing a square a round hole. They argue that many a time man exhibits such variety behaviour that it can be explained neither by static nor dynamic homeostasis.
An individual may behave in such a manner that it deliberately upsets its equilibrium and destroys itself. For example, revolting against society or bringing about social reforms often means an increased state disequilibrium. Very often, every human being chooses death to dishonor prefers aesthetic experiences to satisfaction of hunger. Here homeostatic does not give the entire picture of human motivation.